Entertainment

The Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee Abu Dhabi organises, from the 20th of December to the 1st of January, 2015, the 8th edition of Al Dhafra Festival in Madinat Zayed, in Al Gharbia (The Western Region). The Festival is expected to draw a large turnout as its timing falls within the school and university holidays, in a way that matches the agenda of the annual events of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the Western Region.

The Higher Organising Committee of Al Dhafra Festival held, on Monday, a meeting at Al Raha Beach Theatre in Abu Dhabi to discuss the latest preparations for the launch of the 8th edition of the Festival.

The meeting discussed all the organisational, administrative, financial, logistical, and media affairs, required to ensure the achievement of the Festivals objectives and mission. The attendees also discussed the coordination with all the concerned parties to ensure the complementarity of roles and the economy of efforts and costs. They reviewed the conditions for participation in the various competitions and the evaluation mechanisms at the Festival.

The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Staff Major General Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Member of the Higher Organising Committee. It was attended by Mr. Abdullah Butti Al Qubaisi, Director of Projects Management at the Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee, Mr. Mohammed bin Adhed Al Muhairi, the Director of the Camel Mazayna, Mr. Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Director of Al Dhafra Festival's Heritage Competitions, Mr. Khamis Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Director of Logistical Support, Mr. Manaa Al Mazrouei, Director of Logistics at the Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee, and the representatives of the different parties supporting the Festival: Department of Municipal Affairs - Western Region Municipality, General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police, and the Western Region Police Directorate.

HE Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei noted that current edition would witness the largest turnout of participants in the history of the Festival, and that in all of the heritage competitions, and particularly in Al Dhafra Camel Mazayna.

In the last few days, thousands of camel owners, from the UAE and the GCC countries, flocked to Al Gharbia to take part in the various competitions of the Festival. For many years, Madinat Zayed in the Western Region in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has remained keen on hosting Al Dhafra Festival. Since the first edition in 2008 and until its current edition of 2014 which will kick off in the coming days, the Festival has shined and progressed toward a broader and more comprehensive horizon. It should be noted that the radiance of this Festival has gone beyond the local and Arab dimensions. From the Gate of the Empty Quarter, Al Dhafra has actually succeeded in reinforcing its international position with much confidence, he said.

Al Mazrouei recommended the need to intensify organisational preparations and all efforts so as to give special priority to the official site of the Festival which stretches on a vast desert area of the region.

We should double our efforts in the fields of organisation and logistics so as to achieve further success for the best of this exceptional event. Our accomplishments should befit the position of Abu Dhabi as an organiser of mega festivals and underline its eminent role in the preservation of heritage and intercultural dialogue, he said.

Al Mazrouei hailed the sincere efforts of the nation that had been made since the launch of the first edition in 2008, under the directives and the patronage of the wise leadership.

Our leaders made significant efforts to launch an event that promotes the protection of our historical and environmental heritage and strengthens the bond between the past and the present of the Emirati citizen. Our progress toward a brighter future and our rise to higher ranks on the international level do bolster our determination to preserve the Emirati national identity, he noted.

The Festival features 16 outstanding competitions and heritage activities. The number of laps at the Camel Mazayna Competition (Camel Beauty Contest) will reach 72 for both Asayel (locals) and Majahim (dark-skinned) camels. This year, the Mahaleb Competition will be characterised by innovation and originality.

The other competitions and activities are: the Heritage Camel Race, the Arab Heritage Saluki Race, the Falcon Hunting Competition (falcons bred in captivity), the Purebred Arabian Horse Race, the Dates Mazayna, the Dates Packaging Competition, the Photography Competition, the Classic Cars Competition, the Camel Auction, the Traditional Market and the Childrens Village. Among the new developments at Al Dhafra Festival in its new edition will be the launch of competitions: Ghanam Al Naim Mazayna (sheep Mazayna) (6 laps), Al Dhafra horse race, the sour milk competition, and the handicrafts competition. The norms and conditions for participation in the various competitions, including the new ones, have been revealed to the public in official publications of the Festival, in both English and Arabic.

Al Dhafra Festival has witnessed years of success and progress since the launch of its first edition in 2008. It has turned into an international event that is inspired in its form and content by the authentic Bedouin spirit which still characterises the Arab character so far, HE Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei said.

Al Dhafra Festival has turned into a special occasion and an annual gathering for the GCC peoples. It aspires to preserve the cultural heritage of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE, in general, as it seeks to safeguard the Emirati popular heritage. The Festival also hopes to stimulate the economic activity in Al Gharbia, and promote the Gate of the Empty Quarter (Madinat Zayed) among the lovers of heritage tourism from around the world, he added.

On his part, Mr. Abdullah Butti Al Qubaisi said: the Organising Committee remains determined to develop the activities of Al Dhafra Festival as it works to provide all what is required to ensure the success of the event. The objective consists in facilitating all the procedures for participants in the various competitions and activities. We remain determined to greet our tourists and visitors with the best services as we hope to promote the local culture and heritage.

The organisational, promotional and media efforts must keep pace with the significance of the event and its development, year after year. Al Dhafra Festival has successfully turned into an international and regional event that has been attracting the attention of news agencies, newspapers, and international TV channels. News about the Festivals competitions and activities have been relayed by various media outlets, which have voiced their appreciation and admiration for Al Dhafra role in implementing the plans of cultural heritage preservation and safeguarding the regions authentic customs and traditions, he added.

A number of media reports have shed light on the breathtaking scenery at the Western Region. With a fascinating desert, picturesque landscapes, and beautiful beaches, Al Gharbia has lured many visitors, and made them rush back again and again. Media reports have also provided a thorough description of the enchanting Gate of the Empty Quarter, which attracts, each year, tens of thousands of visitors and tourists who come to follow the Festival activities. In the Western Region, visitors and tourists can travel around the desert and explore the different sites while enjoying the authenticity of Emirati customs and traditions.

• Tags
• #Business
• #Magazine
• #Lifestyle