Opening of the Eighth International Festival of Egyptian Dates in Bahariya Oasis

Giza, 8 November / WAM / The Bahariya Oasis in the Egyptian Giza Governorate witnessed today the official opening of the Eighth International Festival of Egyptian Dates, organized by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palms and Agricultural Innovation.

The opening ceremony was attended by Major General Eng. Sherif Al-Rashidi, Head of the Industrial Sector, on behalf of His Excellency Lieutenant General Kamel Al-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Transport of Egypt, His Excellency Alaa El-Din Farouk Zaki, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, His Excellency Engineer Adel Saeed Al-Nagaz, Governor of Giza, His Excellency Abdel Baset Muhammad Abdullah Al-Marzouqi, Minister Plenipotentiary, Deputy Head of the UAE Mission in Cairo, His Excellency Dr. Abdel Wahab Al-Bukhari, Secretary General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, and a number of Representatives of regional and international organizations and date palm farmers.

His Excellency Lieutenant General Kamel Al-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Transport of Egypt, in his speech delivered on his behalf by Major General Engineer Sherif Al-Rashidi during the opening ceremony, praised the strong historical relations with the United Arab Emirates that support Arab brothers and sisters everywhere, and the efforts of the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation for its success in organizing this festival in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and all competent authorities at the republic level.

His Excellency Kamel Al-Wazir stressed that the Eighth International Festival of Egyptian Dates embodies an advanced model of Arab partnership in supporting agricultural development and related industries, most notably the date palm sector, which represents a fundamental pillar in achieving food security and Arab economic integration, appreciating the continuous support that the UAE provides to our Arab brothers in various fields, especially in the field of agriculture and agricultural innovation.

His Excellency also expressed his great appreciation for the efforts of the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, and its sincere and continuous work in organizing this qualitative festival in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and all concerned parties, stressing that this fruitful cooperation reflects a common vision to enhance the added value of Egyptian dates and open new horizons for investment and export, in a way that serves the goals of sustainable economic development for Egypt and the region.

His Excellency Engineer Adel Saeed Al-Najjar, Governor of Giza, pointed out the governorate’s pride in hosting the Bahariya Oasis for this international event, which has become a global platform for exchanging experiences and knowledge in the field of cultivation, production, manufacturing and export of dates. He stressed that organizing the festival in the Bahariya Oasis reflects the distinguished status of this region, which is rich in its natural and agricultural resources, and which is considered one of the most important date production centers in Egypt and the Arab world.

His Excellency explained that hosting the festival with the support of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, and in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Industry and the Presidential Office of the United Arab Emirates, represents an important step in the path of promoting rural development and improving the livelihoods of farmers, in addition to raising the quality of Egyptian dates and increasing their competitiveness in global markets.

He also appreciated the great efforts made by the organizers and supporters of the festival, stressing that Giza Governorate will continue to provide all forms of support to make this distinguished agricultural demonstration a success, and to consolidate the position of Bahariya Oasis as a regional destination for agricultural innovation and sustainable investment in the date sector.

Professor Dr. Abdul Wahab Al-Bukhari, Secretary General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, said that this journey of the International Festival of Egyptian Dates began in 2015 from Siwa to Aswan, and today it continues in the Bahariya Oasis, as the International Festival of Egyptian Dates has become a practical platform to empower the farmer, manufacturer and exporter of Egyptian dates, a space to accelerate the transfer of knowledge and technology and improve quality, and a bridge to international markets.

He stressed that the festival’s move to the Bahariya Oases carries an important message, stating that every oasis in Egypt is a double opportunity for production and knowledge, and that the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation continues to work and strive with its partners in Egypt to develop and develop the palm cultivation and date production sector since 2015, indicating that the General Secretariat of the Award is determined to deepen this path and expand its impact, so that the festival remains not only the largest annual market for dates and their products, but a living laboratory for transforming Solutions to an economically, socially and environmentally viable reality.

The opening ceremony of the festival includes the screening of a documentary film about the Bahariya Oasis “Land of Blessings”, in addition to an artistic performance by the Popular Arts Band, and another film about the award’s achievements during 18 years of positive impact in serving the palm cultivation and date production sector, as the award worked to develop the palm cultivation and date production sector at the national, regional and international levels, by launching a group of development initiatives and projects that would enhance food security, thanks to the guidance and support of the wise leadership in the UAE.

The organizing committee opened the festival today with the participation of 120 farmers and exhibitors within 105 pavilions representing 8 date-producing countries: the United Arab Emirates, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the United States of Mexico, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, ACSAD, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, within special pavilions at the Bahariya Oasis Exhibition Grounds, amid a large popular presence from various segments of society in addition to businessmen and companies who came specifically to see The best Egyptian dates and providing the opportunity for farmers and producers to conclude business deals with companies, noting that the festival in its eighth session constituted a major turning point for the development of the palm cultivation and date production sector in the Bahariya Oasis Governorate, and in enhancing the reputation of Egyptian dates and increasing demand for them worldwide, as the Egyptian government works to develop date exports by trying to open new export markets in various international markets in addition to participating in international exhibitions specialized in food industries and agricultural crops.

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