His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, ordered those concerned to raise the value of prizes and increase the number of categories of the 16th Liwa Date Festival.
The festival, which will be held from 17th to 23rd July, 2020, in Liwa, Al Dhafra, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and organised by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee-Abu Dhabi, will offer prizes valued at over AED8.2 million.
The directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed highlight the significant support of the UAE’s leadership for palm trees, fruit farms and local farm owners.
Major General Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Commander-in-Chief of the Abu Dhabi Police, ADP, Member of the Executive Council and Chairman of the Committee, praised the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed to raise the value of prizes and increase the number of categories of the festival.
He added that festival reflects the approach of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his words, “Give me agriculture, I guarantee you a civilisation.”
Al Mazrouei thanked President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for their keen support to the cultural schemes aimed at preserving heritage and traditions.
He also lauded the continuous following up of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, and expressed appreciation to H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, for lending patronage to the event.
He stressed that the current edition of the festival will be limited to date and fruit competitions without visitors, to protect public health and the safety of participants and employees, in light of the exceptional conditions witnessed by the entire world.
Issa Saif Al Mazrouei, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, said that the festival’s organising committee added four new categories with 60 prizes this year, upon the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed.
The organising committee will distribute an e-brochure to farms owners and participants, which will explain all precautionary conditions, dates, categories and registration requirements, in addition to prize schedules and details, jury rules and results.
