Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Inaugurates Fifth Al Dhafra Dates Festival
A celebration of Emirati agricultural heritage and entrepreneurial excellence, the fifth edition of the Al Dhafra Dates Festival showcases the emirate's finest cultivars whilst honouring Kuwait as Guest of Honour.
Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan has graced the fifth edition of the Al Dhafra Dates Festival with his presence, touring the comprehensive exhibition that brings together government entities, agricultural innovators and cultural practitioners in a resplendent showcase of Emirati heritage and horticultural excellence.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority and extending until 25 October, the festival represents a distinguished gathering that celebrates the emirate’s storied relationship with date cultivation whilst providing a platform for farmers to exhibit their produce, exchange agricultural expertise and elevate the economic value of their harvests. The Dates Mazayna competition arena and auction grounds offered His Highness insight into the intricate arrangements that enable this flourishing marketplace of premium cultivars.
The festival presents an extraordinary array of competitive opportunities, with 22 competitions offering 180 prizes valued at AED 4.6 million in aggregate. A daily dates auction commences at 5pm, providing collectors and enthusiasts with access to the region’s most prized varieties. A pioneering addition to this year’s proceedings is a dedicated Date Palm Auction, established to preserve indigenous varieties and propagate rare and high-value cultivars amongst farmers and connoisseurs.
The Kuwaiti Village, representing Kuwait as Guest of Honour, extends the festival’s cultural significance beyond the emirate’s borders. The village presents traditional crafts, folk arts and cuisine that exemplify Kuwait’s rich heritage whilst underscoring the enduring fraternal bonds and shared cultural traditions between the two nations.
An evocative photography and painting exhibition celebrates the natural splendour of the Al Dhafra Region, featuring works depicting palm trees, dates, wildlife and marine environments through the artistic sensibilities of local creators. This cultural programme enriches the festival’s experiential landscape, offering visitors a profound appreciation of the region’s environmental abundance.
The festival programme encompasses heritage workshops, traditional performing arts, children’s activities and interactive stage competitions, affording families an enriching opportunity to engage with the knowledge, skills and traditions that form the foundation of Emirati cultural identity.
Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan was accompanied throughout by Nasser Mohammed Al Mansouri, Undersecretary of the Ruler’s Representative Court in the Al Dhafra Region, and Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, alongside other distinguished officials.
Source: WAM