Abu Dhabi: The Shaikh Zayed Heritage Festival 2015 opened on Thursday evening at Al Wathba in Abu Dhabi with the skies aglow with fireworks. The event began with the screening of documentaries on the sterling qualities of Shaikh Zayed, the founding father of the UAE, after whom the festival is named.
Traditional dance performances lent a deeply patriotic touch to the evening.
The heritage festival greets visitors with an abundance of stalls that showcase the UAE’s heritage but there are also many that highlight the unique cultures and customs of foreign lands. The highlight of this year’s festival is a replica of Al Jahili Fort at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs’ National Archives stand.
“We are welcoming visitors to what resembles one of UAE’s historic places, Al Jahili Fort,” said an organiser who works at the ministry. Visitors passing through the fort’s many sections come across displays providing a detailed account of the country’s rich history and its development over the years.
A screen depicting the family tree of the UAE’s royal family makes for a riveting display. “In other areas [within the fort] you can listen to Shaikh Zayed’s famous quotes and sayings through audio facilities or headphones,” explained the official.
An interesting element in this stand is a pictorial display of images of the UAE that change to depict its past or present depending on the observer’s proximity to the display. “For example, if you take a step back, the picture will be of something from the UAE’s past. If you take a step forward, the picture will be of one of the country’s present times, a building such as the Dubai Mall, for instance,” the official explained.
The Ministry of Presidential Affairs’ National Archives stand, which has been put together based on the theme ‘Memories of a Nation’, also offers visitors a glimpse of the UAE’s traditional dances, performed on the pavilion’s stage.
On Commemoration Day, November 30, the pavilion will pay tribute to the brave UAE soldiers who laid down their lives for their country through a number of interactive sessions and presentations.
The festival arena is brimming with interesting stands and exhibits. The falconry corner of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) educates visitors on what falcons signify in terms of Emirati culture and the many aspects of falconry. “We explain to [visitors] how to deal with a falcon, how to handle it, and what they need to have and do if they consider owning one,” said Mohammad Al Hammadi, who works with TCA Abu Dhabi.
Guests can also be photographed with the falcons for souvenir pictures.
Making your way around the festival grounds, you will come across Emirati Bedouin women weaving wicker baskets. Traditionally, these baskets were used to store food, dates in particular.
Fifty-year-old Shaikha Al Daheri, deft at the craft, is hoping her children will continue her legacy. “I am here today to offer visitors a live demonstration of the art of weaving wicker baskets,” she said.
Expatriates and Emiratis alike showed great interest in learning about these traditional skills.
Twenty-three-year-old Emirati university student Meshael Al Wahadi is a repeat visitor to the festival this year. “Being here is almost like a national duty. [Such] festivals fill me with pride and honour for being a part of a country with so much history,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, 26-year-old Bushra Saleh, an Emirati university graduate, said that the Shaikh Zayed Heritage Festival is an opportunity to travel back in time. “It is a privilege for people like me, or others who have not witnessed the country’s past themselves, to do so here. This festival ignites my patriotism when I realise how the UAE managed to achieve the impossible in such a short period of time.”
Other countries participating in the festival this year are Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Kazakhstan. At the Egyptian pavilion, Mohi Abdul Salam, owner of ‘Fatatry Borg El Kahera’ restaurant located in Bani Yas, offers visitors some of the finest Egyptian dishes. “I have been a regular participant in this festival,” he said.
The famous Egyptian dish ‘Koshari’, made of rice, pasta and lentils, topped with a tomato-vinegar sauce and garnished with chickpeas and crispy fried onions, is a draw at his stand.
The opening ceremony of the Zayed Heritage Festival was attended by Lt General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development; Ahmad Juma Al Za’abi, Deputy Minister for Presidential Affairs, and a number of senior officials and dignitaries.
