Organizers of Al Dhafra Festival revealed that the total awards of the 13th edition of the festival, which is being held in Madinat Zayed in Al Dhafra during the period from 9 to 25 December, reaches more than 1000 awards. It has 695 awards, hundreds of awards for many competitions and traditional and popular auctions, and daily prizes for visitors to the festival through various events in the Al Dhafra Heritage Market.

Major General Fares Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Committee for the Management of Festivals and Cultural Programs in Abu Dhabi, praised the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi, the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has announced that the 13th edition of Al Dhafra Festival Awards will increase by 20 million dirhams to support the owners of camels to acquire the most important breeds of Arab origin, and open the way for the increasing number of participants in the camel auctions witnessed by the festival. The total value of the awards is AED 60 million, including AED 52 million for camel decorations and AED 8 million for other heritage competitions.This reflects His Highness's keenness to preserve, preserve and transmit the cultural heritage to successive generations, and support heritage development and development.

Anchoring the name

“The Al Dhafra Festival has become a global event, with its activities calling for tolerance and coexistence, and a national heritage celebration of excellence for embracing Emirati heritage elements, attracting the interest of visitors, tourists and media from around the world, which has contributed to the consolidation of the name Al Dhafra region is on the global tourism map, in addition to activating the economic movement in the region and creating a commercial market for the sale and purchase of camels that benefit the people of the region and visitors ».

He added: “With the inauguration of the Al Dhafra Festival, we recall the efforts of the late Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with his clear footprints in the fields of heritage preservation and solid works, and his timeless achievements in supporting and preserving the inherent Emirati heritage through the establishment of many institutions. Festivals and heritage programs that highlight our inherited heritage of our state ».

Competitions

For his part, Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Director of Planning and Projects at the Committee reviewed the activities of the new session, explaining that the festival will witness a significant expansion this year in terms of organization, competitions and accompanying events spanning tens of kilometers in the Empty Quarter Gate «Madinat Zayed», in addition to the main competition Camels and Mahlab Competition, the festival organizes nine competitions reflecting the cultural heritage of the UAE and the Gulf, has been allocated about 245 awards, in addition to 16 heritage competitions for handicrafts and cooking, which was designed for women, men and children in the heart of Al Dhafra Heritage Market Dozens of valuable prizes, and many prizes daily value for visitors.

He pointed out that within the festival, a falconry competition will be organized by the Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, and allocated 60 prizes distributed over six runs, and in the falconry competition for the broiler category, which is organized in cooperation with the Mazoom hunting reserve, nine valuable prizes distributed over three runs (Gear Shaheen Farrak) , Pure Gear Chick and Pure Crunchy Chick). It will also organize the championship race of the Arab Greyhound race for a distance of 2500 meters, and allocated 10 awards distributed in two half (male and female), while the competition of the Arab Greyhound Saluki, has been allocated 12 prizes in four categories (Hoss males, Hoss females, Arish males, Arish females). The Arabian Horse Race has nine prizes distributed over three runs (Al Dhafra Main Run, Open Half, Beginner Run) and 10 valuable prizes for the archery competition organized in cooperation with Al Dhafra Shooting Club in Madinat Zayed. As for the decoration of the bliss of sheep, there are 60 prizes distributed over six runs.

Another type of competition will be the festival, according to Obeid Al Mazrouei, which will be hosted by the Al Dhafra Heritage Market such as date decorating and packaging and allocated 25 prizes distributed in five categories (Dabbas, salvation, shishi, imposition, and packaging dates), while the competition for sour milk allocated 50 Five competitions will be organized over five days, and the market will witness a variety of heritage competitions (detailing the old dress, tele, sadu, sword, perfume, incense, fashion show for women, fashion show for girls, popular cooking for women, popular cooking for men, burqa, Drunk and yarn, manufacture of carpets, watering and milk, making dolls by road In addition to eight workshops for children, and many events on the main stage and in the Children's Village.

For his part, Director of camel decorations at the festival Mohammed bin Aded Al Muhairi pointed to the new developments witnessed in the festival, including substantial additions to the run of Al Bairaq, including increasing the number of centers per half to reach five centers for the local category and five centers for the category of concepts, and increase the value of the award The first for AED 3 million, the second for two million, the third for one and a half million, the fourth for one million, and the fifth for AED 500,000, bringing the total value of Al-Bairaq prizes to AED 16 million, as well as amending some conditions related to the number of camels participating, reduced from 50 camels in Previous years to 30 This year.

Heritage market

Al Dhafra Heritage Market, with a total area of ​​about 48 thousand square meters, includes more than 200 shops offering a variety of local and Gulf heritage products, and meet the needs of visitors, in addition to popular restaurants and fast food restaurants, courtyards and traditional heritage councils, as well as a special corner for «Makshat» It brings together a group of local and Gulf youth who are passionate about folklore.

Mohammed Bin Aded Al Muhairi:

• «New developments witnessed by Al Dhafra Festival during the new session, which includes substantial additions».

Issa Saif Al Mazrouei:

• «The festival has become a global event and celebration of national heritage with distinction».

Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei:

• «The events will be greatly expanded, and the accompanying events will extend over dozens of kilometers».