Today's Edition
DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, President of the International Federation for Falconry Sports and Racing (IFFSR) and President of the UAE Falcons Federation, directed the launch of the ‘Sheikh Zayed Principles of Falconry’ Charter to mark the 50th anniversary of the International Conference on Falconry and Conservation, the inaugural edition of which was held in Abu Dhabi in 1976.
The Charter will serve as a comprehensive reference for developing falconry across its diverse aspects and as a guiding code for the UAE Falcons Federation across its championships, initiatives, and programmes.
His Highness affirmed that the launch of the Charter reflects pride in the enduring legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his visionary approach to preserving falconry, fostering its authentic values and highlighting its status as a symbol of national identity.
"Zayed's legacy is a trust we safeguard and a set of values we pass on to our generations, so that the UAE remains a leader in this time-honoured sport," His Highness said.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum noted that the 50th anniversary of the 1976 conference is a momentous occasion to recall the efforts and pioneering initiatives of the Founding Father, which solidified the UAE's historic standing in falconry and laid firm foundations for preserving its heritage and strengthening its presence regionally and internationally.
His Highness said the Charter provides a reference framework rooted in the approach Sheikh Zayed exemplified in caring for falcons, protecting the environment and passing falconry knowledge on to successive generations, while instilling the values of fair competition, responsibility, respect and dialogue between peoples and cultures.
Key priorities
The Charter comprises ten core principles.
They place compassion for the falcon and its safety at the top of the priorities, while underlining the importance of safeguarding heritage and transferring knowledge and expertise through generations, promoting the human and civilisational role of falconry in bringing peoples together, protecting falcons and biodiversity, and upholding sporting integrity and fair competition.
The principles also emphasise sustained efforts for documenting traditional practices and knowledge, strengthening transparency and accountability within falconry institutions, opening participation to all segments of society, harnessing scientific research and modern technologies to develop practices, and advancing falcon racing in line with unified international sporting standards, reinforcing the UAE's global leadership in the time-honoured sport.
To put the Charter into practice, the UAE Falcons Federation will draw on the principles laid down by the Founding Father in developing its championships and initiatives throughout the 2026–2027 sporting season, with a focus on preparing young falconers, promoting compassion for the falcon, developing the competition system and broadbasing participation, and preserving the sport's authenticity while enhancing its sustainability.
His Excellency Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, Vice President of the IFFSR and Vice President of the UAE Falcons Federation, stated that the launch of the Charter is an important step towards consolidating the authentic values and concepts on which the sport is based.
His Excellency explained that the values enshrined in the Charter, including integrity, transparency, compassion for the falcon and responsibility towards nature, are in harmony with the approach that the UAE leadership under President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is keen to instill across diverse fields.
He emphasised the importance of drawing on principles set out in the Charter to develop falcon racing according to unified international sporting standards, further strengthening the UAE's global leadership in the sport.
The ‘Sheikh Zayed Principles of Falconry’ document is set to be presented at the upcoming meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Federation for Falconry Sports and Racing (IFFSR).
The Board will consider adopting its ten principles and drawing on them when devising strategies and initiatives for developing falconry sports at the international level. This aims to unify visions and practices among member bodies and reinforce the authentic values of falconry as a shared human heritage.
Defining factor
For his part, His Excellency Rashid bin Markhan, Secretary General of the IFFSR and Secretary General of the UAE Falcons Federation, said that the launch of the Charter under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum marked a moment of great pride, affirming that it constitutes an important reference point for the Federation’s future plans while ensuring that falconry’s rich heritage remains a defining factor shaping the dynamics of sporting and organisational development.
Bin Markhan affirmed the Federation's commitment to embodying the Charter's principles in the events and activities of the 2026–2027 season, particularly youth development programmes, thus reinforcing falconry ethics and fostering a spirit of cooperation among participants.
"We believe the success of the season lies in the impact it leaves in preserving this heritage, passing on its knowledge and developing its practice, continuing the approach established by the Founding Father and strengthening the UAE's standing in falconry sports," he said.
The UAE Falcons Federation's 2026–2027 calendar of championships and initiatives opens with preliminary Talwah (lure) races ahead of the falcon racing seasons in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, over 300 metres from 4 to 7 November 2026 and over 400 metres from 18 to 23 November respectively, followed by participation in the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition in Al Ain from 25 to 29 November.
The Kingdom of Bahrain will host the second edition of the Emirates Falcon Racing International Cup from 2 to 5 December, while Dubai will stage the UAE Falcons Federation Cup from 7 to 14 December, and the IFFSR Cup on 18 and 19 December.
Competitive events will continue in Dubai with the Fazza Falcon Racing Cup on 12 January 2027, and the season concludes on 14 January with the National Production Shield falcon racing rounds.
The ‘Sheikh Zayed Principles of Falconry’ Charter is founded on 10 core ideas listed below:
1. Compassion for the falcon is a non-negotiable foundation of falconry — its dignity and safety come before any competitive or commercial goal.
2. The heritage of our forefathers is the true guarantee that the knowledge of falconry lives on across generations, preserving a national and cultural identity that must pass intact to those who follow us.
3. Falconry is a universal human language and a bridge of communication, friendship and cooperation between peoples and cultures — an open heritage, cultural and sporting umbrella that cannot be confined to a single identity.
4. Protecting falcons and conserving their natural habitats is an irrevocable commitment; preserving ecological balance and biodiversity is essential to the continuity of falconry and its legacy for future generations.
5. One's word governs every race; fair competition and sporting integrity extend the honour of the word for which falconers are known, and no victory has value without honesty and fairness.
6. Documenting the oral knowledge and traditional practices of falconry is a national responsibility; protecting this heritage from being lost is a duty to our history and a right of future generations.
7. Falconry institutions are committed to the highest standards of transparency, disclosure and accountability; international trust in this system can only be built on sound governance, clear management and institutional responsibility.
8. The UAE is a home for falconry and an arena open to all — men and women, young and experienced — united by their passion and given fair and equal opportunities to take part and excel.
9. Science, research and modern technology are pillars of falconry's future; they must be used to develop traditional practices, preserve this heritage and strengthen its sustainability for people, the falcon, and nature.
10. The UAE's global leadership in falcon sports is a responsibility before it is an achievement; it is sustained only by developing falcon racing to unified international standards and an ethical value system that reinforces responsibility and respects nature.
