Today's Edition
AL DHAFRA (WAM)
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, visited the events and competitions of the 22nd Liwa Date Festival, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, the festival is taking place in Liwa City in the Al Dhafra Region and will continue until 23 July.
During an extensive tour of the festival, Sheikh Nahyan viewed its wide-ranging heritage, agricultural, economic and cultural events, as well as its daily competitions and programmes for farmers, producers, families, young people and children.
These activities highlight the date palm’s distinguished place in Emirati society and its deep-rooted role in the UAE’s history, national identity and development journey.
Sheikh Nahyan affirmed that the Liwa Date Festival is an exceptional heritage, agricultural and economic gathering that celebrates the blessed date palm and its products while reflecting its enduring place in the UAE’s national memory.
He noted that the festival carries forward the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who devoted exceptional attention to agriculture, date palms and farmers and established a pioneering national approach to cultivating the land and transforming the desert into green oases and productive agricultural communities.
He said: “What we are witnessing today at the Liwa Date Festival represents a living extension of the vision of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. His journey was defined by generosity, dedication and a profound belief in people and the land.
"He made the date palm a symbol of goodness, resilience, abundance and attachment to the homeland. His vision produced agricultural and civilisational achievements of which we are proud and established a unique Emirati model that combines heritage preservation with sustainable development.”
He affirmed that the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, continues to follow Sheikh Zayed’s path of empowering people and cultivating the land while maintaining agriculture, food security and sustainability as national priorities, thereby protecting the country’s achievements and resources for future generations.
He added: “President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has made the empowerment of Emiratis and support for productive national sectors central to the UAE’s development journey while safeguarding the country’s heritage and authentic identity.
The Liwa Date Festival embodies this wise vision by supporting farmers, encouraging them to develop local production and adopt sustainable agricultural practices, and introducing younger generations to the historical, economic and social significance of the date palm, thereby strengthening their connection to their homeland, land and heritage.”
He explained that the festival reflects the special place the date palm holds in the hearts of Emiratis as a witness to the journey of their forefathers and a source of food, stability and generosity.
He stressed that preserving this legacy is a shared responsibility that requires continued efforts to introduce younger generations to its value and encourage them to take pride in it, develop it and draw upon it in building the future.
He commended the generous patronage extended to the festival by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, affirming that his patronage supports the festival and strengthens its role in serving farmers and producers and safeguarding the UAE’s agricultural and cultural heritage.
He noted that the festival has a direct and positive impact on the quality of Emirati produce. It encourages farm owners to devote greater attention to their farms, develop their production methods, diversify the cultivation of date palm varieties and fruit trees, and benefit from modern technologies and innovative solutions that enhance efficiency and sustainability.
He affirmed that the festival’s competitions provide an important incentive for farmers to make greater efforts to improve crop quality and care for their date palms.
The festival also offers a platform for farmers and specialists to connect and exchange expertise while enabling visitors to discover leading local agricultural products and learn about the efforts being made to preserve and advance this vital sector.
He praised the combined efforts of government and private entities and the strategic partners involved in organising and supporting the festival, stressing that this institutional cooperation reflects a profound sense of belonging to the national identity and embodies the spirit of collaboration that distinguishes Emirati society.
He added that these efforts contribute significantly to strengthening the Liwa Date Festival’s position as a leading heritage, tourism and economic destination. They also place authentic Emirati heritage prominently on the UAE’s calendar of major events, stimulate economic and tourism activity in the Al Dhafra Region, and create new opportunities for farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises and productive families.
During the visit, he toured the festival’s diverse activities and daily competitions for farmers and visitors and viewed the entries submitted across the various competition categories.
He also received a briefing on the competitions’ objectives and their role in improving the quality of agricultural products and promoting best practices in date palm care and the production of fresh dates and fruit.
He visited the Date Market, a vibrant platform for displaying and selling fresh dates and date palm seedlings, along with agricultural products, technologies and equipment and industries related to fresh and dried dates.
He viewed the variety of local date cultivars available at the market and learned about the opportunities it provides for farmers and producers to promote their products to a broad audience of visitors and interested buyers. The market also helps stimulate commercial activity and support national agricultural products and related industries.
He also toured the Heritage Market, which features distinguished creations and products made by productive families and Emirati craftswomen, showcasing skills passed down through generations in traditional crafts and handmade products.
He was briefed on the market’s role in empowering productive families, safeguarding traditional crafts and transforming them into sustainable commercial products that combine authenticity with high-quality design.
The market also enables artisans to present and market their creations to festival visitors.
The tour included the Craftswomen’s Area, where he viewed a selection of traditional crafts and industries reflecting aspects of the UAE’s historic social and economic life.
He also visited the “Women’s Modesty and Elegance” pavilion, which showcases the distinctive character of Emirati clothing and adornment and the values of beauty, modesty and pride in national identity that they represent.
He visited the Children’s Village, which offers younger generations a distinctive educational and entertaining experience that enables them to learn about heritage through play, interactive activities and workshops.
He praised the programmes introducing children to the date palm, agricultural practices and traditional crafts while strengthening their connection to the history of their country and their community’s heritage through engaging and contemporary methods.
He stressed the importance of involving younger generations in heritage events to ensure that the UAE’s national legacy remains vibrant and is passed from one generation to the next.
He also toured the cafés and pioneering projects area, which highlights the contribution and creativity of young Emiratis in hospitality and modern business development and demonstrates their ability to combine local heritage with innovative ideas.
He praised the opportunities provided to Emirati entrepreneurs to showcase their products and the spirit of initiative and entrepreneurship represented by these projects.
He also emphasised the importance of supporting young Emiratis and encouraging them to launch distinctive enterprises that draw on the heritage, tourism and economic assets of the Al Dhafra Region.
These initiatives also raise awareness of sustainable practices, support the conservation of natural resources and provide assistance to farm owners.
During his tour of the participating entities’ pavilions, he received briefings on initiatives and services offered to the public, programmes designed to support farmers, develop agricultural production and strengthen quality, safety and sustainability standards, as well as the humanitarian, community, educational and heritage initiatives presented by participating organisations.
The 22nd Liwa Date Festival features 23 competitions offering 295 prizes with a combined value exceeding Dh8 million.
The programme comprises 11 fresh date competitions, seven fruit competitions, and three Model Farm competitions covering the Eastern and Western Liwa agricultural communities and the cities of the Al Dhafra Region, in addition to the Most Beautiful Date Harvesting Basket competition and the “Creativity from the Date Palm Trunk” competition.
The Model Farm competitions promote the adoption of agricultural best practices and encourage farm owners to improve planning and management, use resources efficiently, enhance sustainability and raise crop quality.
The Most Beautiful Date Harvesting Basket and “Creativity from the Date Palm Trunk” competitions highlight the aesthetic and creative dimensions associated with the date palm and the potential to transform its components and products into innovative artistic and handcrafted works.
