UAE | Heritage and Culture
Sultan presents Prince Andrew with gyr falcon at Festival of Falconry
Shaikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, presented Sunday to the Duke of York HRH Prince Andrew a majestic, female, gyr falcon at the conclusion of the Second International Festival of Falconry, at Englefield in Reading Sunday.
- WAM
- Published: 08:24 July 13, 2009
Reading: Shaikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, presented Sunday to the Duke of York HRH Prince Andrew a majestic, female, gyr falcon at the conclusion of the Second International Festival of Falconry, at Englefield in Reading Sunday.
The magnificent gyr falcon, which is yet to be named by the Duke of York, is the largest of all falcon species. It was given to the Duke of York after he had enjoyed the festival's colourful falconry demonstrations and parades, and toured the 5,000 sq. metres Abu Dhabi Village, with national tents and exhibits from the 50 participating nations representing Europe, Arabia, Central and Southern Asia and South America.
The Duke of York received a briefing on the UAE's international submission to Unesco, on behalf of 12 falconry nations, for falconry to be recognised as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage.
Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, commented 'This was a great opportunity to reinforce the bonds of friendship between the UAE and the UK. At the festival the Duke of York experienced first hand the true art of falconry and its associated cultural elements which I'm sure brought the UAE story to life for him'.
Over 10, 000 visitors to the festival also immersed themselves in the 4,000 year old art of falconry and the Bedouin culture through the wide range of falconry-related activities including breeding, training, desert culture, wildlife conservation and leather craft.
People tried traditional Arabic coffee in a customary desert majlis, experiencing the scents of Emirati bukhoor (incense), sampling the foods of the desert and encountering crafts, customs, dance and animals of the world of Arabian falconry.
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