Today's Edition
ASILA ALBADI (ABU DHABI)
It’s bring your falcon day at Zayed National Museum on four Saturdays this November and December.
Falconers, their families and the rest of the community are welcome to visit the museum with their prized birds of prey on November 14 and 28, and December 12 and 26.
The ‘Bring Your Falcon to the Museum’ initiative is a highlight of a two-month programme celebrating falconry as living heritage.
Interactive workshops, guided tours and community activities are lined up for the drive. These will explore falconry’s place in the country’s history and in Emirati identity, and how important is to protect these birds, their habitats, and the cherished traditions they are part of.
Inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Founding Father, and his love of falconry and nature, the museum’s activities introduce visitors to the traditions of Al Megnas, the bond between falconers and their birds, and skills passed down through generations.
A Falconry Tour, running until December 29, explores the relationship between people, animals and the UAE’s desert environment. Drawing on stories of Sheikh Zayed, it highlights the patience, trust and respect for nature associated with the practice.
Creative workshops for children and families cover different aspects of falconry.
‘Eyes on the Tilwah’ uses drawing and flipbook animation to introduce the traditional lure used in falcon training. ‘Houbara: Colours of Camouflage’ uses coffee painting to explore how the houbara bustard blends into its surroundings, with a focus on wildlife conservation.
‘Memories of Al Megnas’ invites visitors to design postcards inspired by falconry and the landscapes around the museum’s Al Masar Garden. ‘Falcon in Flight: Mosaic Art’ draws on the museum’s falcon-wing architecture, with participants making colourful glass mosaics.
Falconry, recognised by UNESCO as part of humanity’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, is widely practised across the UAE. The museum programme comes amid wider national efforts to safeguard the tradition.
In October, 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. It marked 50 years since Abu Dhabi hosted the first International Conference on Falconry and Conservation in 1976.
The charter sets out 10 principles on responsible falconry, animal welfare, conservation and passing traditional knowledge to future generations.
Beyond falconry, the Zayed National Museum will mark its first anniversary and Eid Al Etihad, and open its first temporary exhibition, ‘Tracks Through Time: The Camel in Society, Trade and Art’, which traces more than 7,000 years of camel history.
