Al Ain Dates Festival will start next January 3 under the patronage of Mansour bin Zayed

ABU DHABI, 25 December / WAM / Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, and Head of the Presidential Court, the Hili Oasis in the city of Al Ain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is witnessing the activities of the first session of the “Al Ain Dates Festival”, which It is organized by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority during the period from 3 to 8 January 2025, and includes 7 date competitions for which 70 prizes are allocated with a total value of more than one million. And 700 thousand dirhams.

The organizing committee announced the details of the festival during a press conference held this morning, at the Mohammed Khalaf Majlis in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Acting Executive Director of the Festivals and Events Sector at the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, His Excellency Mubarak Ali Al Qasili Al Mansouri, Director of Auctions at the festival, and a number of Authority officials and representatives. Media entities, farmers, and those interested in heritage competitions.

At the beginning of his speech, Al Mazrouei extended his thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, and Head of the Presidential Office, for his generous patronage and unlimited support for the Al Ain Dates Festival, stressing that the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority is inspired by the ideas of the festival’s goals. The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, in preserving the ancient Emirati heritage, especially the palm tree.

He said that the Al Ain Dates Festival aims to consolidate and preserve the historical status of the palm tree as an Emirati heritage that deepens awareness of the Emirati heritage and heritage. It also aims to educate community members and encourage them to practice the palm heritage, which deepens their sense of patriotism, by introducing the palm products, in addition to… Exchanging experiences between farmers and learning about best practices and methods of palm care, which contributes to enhancing the economic mobility of farm owners.

He explained that the Al Ain Dates Festival includes a number of other heritage and entertainment activities in addition to the date competition and auction, including the popular market, which contains 26 shops for productive families, displaying their production of traditional Emirati crafts, heritage foods, perfumes, clothes and other products.

Al Mansouri revealed that the festival’s activities include 7 date competitions for which 70 prizes were allocated, with a total value of more than one million and 700 thousand dirhams, which are “Al Ain Elite”, “Al Khalas”, “Al Fard”, “Al Dabbas”, and “Bu Maan”. “Al-Shishi” and “Al-Zamili”.

He said that to participate in the competition, it is required that the dates be of local production in the UAE for the year 2024, and that they must be produced by the participant’s own farm, with documents of ownership of the agricultural land presented. Each individual is also entitled to participate in two categories of the competition, in addition to the elite round, which is available to everyone, provided that The categories to be participated in the Elite Dates Round must be less than 3 items, and the participant must accept the decisions of the judging committee, and the entries must be submitted according to the dates specified for each category from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm. No entries will be accepted after the specified time.

The conditions also include that the right to dispose of the participating dates belongs to the organizing committee, while the dates that did not obtain a position in any round are entered into the auction, and their value is the participant’s right.

He pointed out that registration to participate in the festival’s competitions and events will be through the “Emirates Dates Festivals” application available through the Apple and Google Play stores, where through the application one can view the conditions of the competitions, follow the results, festival updates, and the dates for submitting entries according to the categories and dates specified by the organizing committee. Emphasizing the importance of adhering to date specifications and participation standards.

He explained that the festival’s activities include the “Dates Auction”, which aims to highlight the quality of local and international production of dates to all visitors and those interested in obtaining the finest and most luxurious types. It also highlights the most distinguished types of dates in the Emirates, with the aim of providing continuous support to the efforts of farmers and encouraging them to expand cultivation. Good varieties, to ensure the sustainability of date production and development.

The event includes various activities, including the festival theater and the date village, which includes 40 shops dedicated to selling dates and their products, in addition to the honey market, which includes 10 shops that provide the opportunity for festival visitors to view and learn about the varieties of Emirati honey and the nutritional and therapeutic properties of each variety in the context of stimulating honey production and supporting producers and beekeepers. And honey factories.

The Al Ain Dates Festival also dedicates a daily space for folk arts groups, during which they present forms of traditional performing arts, within the framework of integration between the traditional and entertainment roles of the festival.

The festival includes a photo exhibition, and the craftsmen’s corner presents a live display of Emirati creative crafts at the hands of “heritage protectors” in a practical achievement of heritage sustainability through displaying and introducing heritage artistic activities.

The Children’s Corner offers daily activities and programs for children of different ages, such as entertainment games, heritage competitions, drawing and coloring activities, and hand skills.

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