Al Dhafra Book Festival… Events that celebrate local heritage
Al Dhafra, 12 December / WAM / Al Dhafra Book Festival 2024, organized by the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, is closely linked to Emirati heritage, and its identity and activities are inspired by its customs, traditions and vocabulary.
In each session, the festival is keen to enhance the local heritage and consolidate it among generations by highlighting its capabilities and elements, in line with the center’s strategy in establishing a generation that loves heritage, which is one of the most important components of the Emirati personality.
This year, Al Dhafra Book Festival celebrates the “Sadu” craft as a visual identity, taking advantage of the symbolism it represents in Emirati culture.
The selection of “Sadu” by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center comes within the framework of celebrating the elements of heritage that form the backbone of the Emirati national identity, and emphasizing its presence in the heritage scene as a handicraft registered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the list of intangible cultural heritage.
In Madinat Zayed Public Park, the festival’s visual identity is embodied in colorful drawings and flags derived from “Sadu” fabric, one of the most important handicrafts that distinguish the people of the desert, which Emirati women practiced in the past to make hair houses and their contents.
In another manifestation of the local heritage, Al Dhafra Book Festival 2024 created the “Baynouna Barn” event, which simulates the neighborhood council of the people of the desert in the past. The barn is an area surrounded by branches of trees that grow in the local environment and withstand the harsh climatic conditions.
The center did not choose the name “Baynouna” alongside the word “Hadira” for nothing. It is one of the most important cities in the Al Dhafra region, and the festival took the name of the main platform, on which its most important daily activities are held, from the Al-Radeem area located in Liwa, which is characterized by its breathtaking natural beauty.
The activities of the Al Dhafra Book Festival 2024 will continue until December 15, and will be held under the slogan “Irrigating and Irrigating Al Dhafra,” including about 200 diverse events, distributed over 7 corners within three programs.
The festival is a cultural beacon and a family experience that supports the center’s mission of building a generation that reads and is connected to the heritage and authentic values of Emirati society, appreciating pioneers of culture, knowledge and arts, and empowering youth.
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