Under the Patronage of Hamdan bin Zayed: Liwa Date Festival and Auction Set to Begin
Liwa, September 20, Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Representative of the Ruler in Al Dhafra Region, the Liwa Date Festival and Auction's second edition is set to kick off tomorrow, Thursday, and will continue until September 30th. The event will take place in Liwa City, Al Dhafra Region, in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and is organized by the Committee for the Management of Cultural and Heritage Festivals in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with the Emirates Heritage Club.
The Liwa Date Festival and Auction aims to create a specialized market and platform to promote Emirati date producers, preserve the cultural and agricultural heritage of the country, and organize a global date festival that puts Al Dhafra on the world tourism map. It also encourages knowledge exchange among farmers from around the world regarding modern agricultural techniques and palm tree care.
Major General Pilot Fares Khalaf Al Mazrouei, the General Commander of Abu Dhabi Police and the Chairman of the Committee for the Management of Cultural and Heritage Festivals, stated that this year's festival aligns with the Year of Sustainability, embodying the agricultural development legacy established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the continuous support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE. The festival supports national efforts in agriculture, particularly date palm cultivation, date production, and related industries, along with projects that enhance food security and heritage preservation.
Al Mazrouei expressed gratitude for the sponsorship of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Representative of the Ruler in Al Dhafra Region, and his consistent involvement in various events and initiatives in the Al Dhafra region, contributing to the sustainability and development of the agricultural sector.
Obaid Khalafan Al Mazrouei, the Director of Planning and Projects at the Committee for the Management of Cultural and Heritage Festivals, revealed that the Liwa Date Festival will feature 10 consecutive days of diverse competitions, with 156 prizes worth over AED 4 million. The competitions include eight categories for dates, such as Elite Date Competition, Dubas, Khlas, Fard, Shishi, Boumaan, Unadulterated Date Packaging, and Stuffed Date Packaging. Additionally, there will be five honey competitions, including liquid honey, beeswax tablets, local Sidr honey, local Samar honey, and four competitions in the fields of photography and painting, specifically focusing on palm trees, dates, Al Dhafra's environment, in addition to international olive oil and international cooking contests.
The festival will welcome visitors daily from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM and features the "Jordanian Date Village," showcasing the finest Jordanian dates, along with agricultural stalls and exhibitor pavilions. The date auction will commence at 5:00 PM daily, and a dedicated date market will offer various date-related products and crafts. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of heritage and entertainment activities within the festival grounds, including a main stage and a popular market.
Engineer Anwar Haddad, the President of the Jordanian Date Association, emphasized Jordan's role as the honorary guest at the Liwa Date Festival. The association participates in the Jordanian Date Village within the festival, which acts as a platform for date sector professionals to engage in high-level professional competition, contributing to the regional and global development of this sector.
Haddad expressed his sincere appreciation for the organizers and the United Arab Emirates for hosting Jordan and facilitating Jordan's participation in this significant festival, highlighting the depth and uniqueness of the relationship between Jordan and the UAE, and the wise leadership of both nations.