The Dhafra Festival
The Dhafra Festival
The Dhafra Festival is an annual event held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. It is an event inspired by culture and heritage.
It is a means of building bridges between the generations and of instilling a national identity and a love for heritage and culture in the hearts of the younger generations.
The first Dhafra Festival, held last April, was successful at reviving the UAE’s rich heritage and culture and bringing generations closer together.
The festival is set to become an annual event to celebrate the role the camel plays in the UAE’s culture and heritage and to shed the light on Bedouin culture and principles as one of the pillars of Abu Dhabi’s and the region’s heritage.
The Dhafra Festival also aims to:
-Preserve the authentic camel breeds of Asayil and Majaheem.
-Introduce Bedouin culture.
-Encourage cultural tourism.
-Create a market for the sale of camels.
-Create a market for dates, through innovative competitions.
-Revive and market traditional UAE handicrafts.
-Situate Zayed City in the Western Region as an international tourist destination.
-Activate economic growth in the Western Region.
Activities
Al Dhafra Festival 2009 boasts a variety of cultural activities and events that suit all tastes and interests and that is bound to create an unforgettable traditional experience.
The festival’s activities are mainly focused on camels. That should come as no surprise given the integral role camels play in the UAE’s and the region’s history and culture. It played a role in the ancient days at the “Desert Ship” and the most reliable means of transportation. Today camels continue to hold a great place in our lives.
To emphasize their importance, the Dhafra Festival will include a Mazayin competition (beauty competition) for camels, in addition to a large camel auction. Furthermore, the festival will host a poetry competition dedicated solely to poetry about camels and a photography competition to encourage photography of camels.
The festival will also celebrate many other aspects of the UAE’s culture and will organize a Dates Wrapping competition in addition to hosting a Dates Market, where visitors can a variety of local dates and learn more about the types of dates produced in the UAE.
And for lovers of handicrafts, the festival will include a traditional handicrafts market in addition to a handicrafts competition.
Events & Competitions:
-Mazayin Competition
-Camel Auction
-Poetry Competition
-Photography Competition
-Dates Wrapping Competition
Handicrafts Competition
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