Abu Dhabi: The first edition of the Liwa Dates Festival and Auction will kick off in Al Dhafra region’s Liwa City on October 15.
The 10-day festival is being organised by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee, and aims to transfer knowledge and exchange expertise between farmers about palm tree types and growth trends. The event falls within the activities held nationwide to promote the Emirati heritage, support indigenous products and enhance the nation’s food security system.
The Liwa Dates Festival and Auction will serve as a platform for the specialised marketing and selling of locally-grown species of dates, as well as date products. It will enable the exchange of expertise among farmers about the latest methods in date palm cropping, cultivation and growth.
Emirati heritage
The Liwa Dates Festival and Auction reflects the strategy of the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee in Abu Dhabi, which is inspired by the visionary thoughts of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founding father, to preserve Emirati heritage and make it sustainable.
Multiple contests
The festival will feature the International Dates Village, along with prominent activities, including competitions to select the most beautiful fruit basket, the most beautiful heritage sculpture and the model farm. These will be organised within the Festival Arena, along with a Date Product Packaging Competition, International Date, Olive and Moringa Peregrina Oil Competition and Drawing and Photography Competition.
