Abu Dhabi: Sustainable hunting practices will be the key theme for this year’s Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (Adihex), which is set to take place from August 27 to August 31 its organisers announced on Wednesday.

Now in its 17th year, Adihex has become a major event in the field of hunting and equestrian activities, with this year’s edition set to be its largest one yet as 650 local and regional companies will take part. Held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the exhibition will span across 40,000 square metres featuring thousands of products, including the latest in hunting and outdoor activities.

“Adihex has become a global festival and cultural hub that gathers the world under one roof. It is also an event that has placed Abu Dhabi on the world tourism map,” said Majid Al Mansouri, secretary general of the Emirates Falconers’ Club and chairman of the Higher Organising Committee.

“The Higher Organising Committee of the exhibition has announced various mandates to make sure that this upcoming edition is the largest and the most successful one. The Committee has provided all the support and facilitations needed by companies and institutions participating from over 40 countries to help them promote and showcase their products in the regional market,” he added.

Al Mansouri also said that the Ministry of Interior and the Police General Headquarters developed a special software serving the licensing and acquisition of hunting weapons to accelerate the procedure for obtaining weapons’ licences. This was done in coordination with the licensing authorities in GCC countries to facilitate the purchase of weapons from the exhibition, and also in coordination with the Ministry of Defence regarding the issuance of a certificate of end user for visitors who are not Emiratis in case of purchase.

There are 11 sectors that make up this year’s Adihex such as arts and crafts, equestrian, falconry, hunting and camping equipment, hunting guns and the promotion and preservation of cultural heritage. The event will include daily competitions and cultural and recreational activities, besides live shows for horses and camels.