Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (MADINAT ZAYED)
Highlighting the values of cultural heritage and promoting sustainable initiatives, the third edition of the Liwa Date Festival and Auction is taking place in Madinat Zayed, Al Dhafra.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, the festival feautes 20 competitions, including date and cooking contests, along with an auction showcasing premium Emirati dates, a traditional market, a crafts corner, as well as various other activities. By highlighting Iraq as the guest of honour, the festival aims to promote agricultural expertise and deepen relations between the two countries.
Khalid Al Ali, Administrative Officer at the Al Dhafra Region Municipality, highlighted the municipality's active role in the festival. During the festival, the municipality is hosting social events and competitions, particularly focusing on children.
Al Ali stressed their commitment to the palm tree industry, with a focus on the distribution of date seedlings and promoting date-related products. He reiterated the importance of the festival as an educational platform, encouraging community members to participate and learn about the initiatives that benefit Al Dhafra region. "It is a family-friendly event with educational opportunities for all," he said.
He highlighted their commitment to community engagement through a variety of events and activities.
Al Ali also noted that the municipality facilitates field visits to citizens' councils and conducts monthly seminars aimed at raising awareness about new projects and initiatives.
"We aim to inform the community about the municipality's projects and promote environmental awareness," he said. Al Ali also discussed the introduction of new infrastructure, which includes bike and sports walkways, which have been well received by the community.
Cooking Competitions
Emirati Chef Faisal Al Harmoodi, a member of the judging committee for the cooking competition at the festival, shared insights about the event to Aletihad. "The competition spans three days, starting with a category for hotels," he explained.
"Yesterday we concluded the preliminary rounds, and today we focus on productive families, showcasing their culinary talents." Al Harmoodi stressed the festival's goal of fostering innovation among participants.
"We want to educate and highlight the Emirati talent in home cooking projects, particularly utilising dates as a key ingredient," he stated.
The competition features a "black box" challenge, where participants receive a mystery box containing several ingredients they must creatively incorporate into their dishes.
The judging criteria cenre on presentation, taste, and the ability to complete the dishes on time, with participants given 70 minutes to prepare a main course alongside sweets or appetisers.
Al Harmoodi added: "It is about seeing how they transform this traditional ingredient into delightful dishes."
Furthermore, Emirati Chef Muna Almansoori, the organiser of the cooking corner and head of the judging committee for the cooking competition at the festival, highlighted several positive enhancements made this year.
"In our competition, we incorporated productive families for the first time, whereas in previous years, the focus was solely on hotels," she told Aletihad.
"This change aims to educate the public about the fundamentals of international cuisines and professional cooking techniques."
"Chefs must adhere to their submitted menus, demonstrating their decision-making skills and minimising waste," she added.
The festival also features live cooking demonstrations from various cuisines, encompassing Italian and Japanese, offering the audience a taste of diverse culinary arts.
