Abu Dhabi: The Qasr Al Hosn festival gets under way in February, allowing visitors to get a glimpse at the 250-year-old fort and other significant monuments surrounding it such as the Cultural Foundation.
For the first time since closing in 2009, the Cultural Foundation and the National Consultative Council Chamber, where many important decisions regarding the formation of the UAE were made, will be open during tours available at the festival. A unique preview inside the inner fort and palace will also be available.
As usual, an array of activities including Emirati folk dances, poetry recital, handicrafts, workshops and live animals will allow visitors to experience authentic Emirati life as it was before the capital’s rapid development.
This year, around 300 college and Emirati university students will act as ambassadors at the event that will run from February 11-21, while 2,500 schoolchildren from across Abu Dhabi will also join the festivities.
Traditional songs and live handicraft demonstrations, in addition to police cars from the capital’s old police force, will be on display.
“The 2015 programme was created to offer visitors a holistic cultural experience and narrate stories in a compelling, educational, yet engaging manner. The festival area has been redesigned to include new elements and activities that seamlessly fuse the traditional with the modern,” said Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA-AD).
“With Qasr Al Hosn festival, we are not just celebrating monuments; we are celebrating the people that have carried the story of a nation from generation to generation. We are looking to celebrate our recent history through a compelling narrative using modern-day tools to recreate historic experiences,” he added.
