The Emirates International Date Palm Festival being held in Abu Dhabi is providing exciting entertainment for the whole family with date tree planting being one of the most attractive activities this year, said organisers.

Many visitors are flocking to participate in the first of its kind feature at the festival which gives individuals and families the unique opportunity to plant their own date palm tree at the festival and have their names on it, they added.

The trees along with the names will then be moved to a special location in Abu Dhabi - in dedication to Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the UAE – for future generations to see, they said.

The date palm which began on festival concludes today (November 26) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

During the opening ceremony, Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research himself had participated in this activity by planting a date tree.

Mohamed Jalal Al Reyaysa, chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee for the festival and the official spokesperson for Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, said: “During the first three days, 250 date palm trees have been planted, and we expect this number to reach 500 by the end of the show."

"We are pleased to be able to provide visitors with the opportunity to contribute to its scenery and dedicate them to our country’s leader," he added.

Suaad Al Glanei, teacher, Al Noor School – Baniyas, said: "The girls are having a fantastic time enriching their learning here, especially with the planting of the date palm trees."

"It gives them a sense of pride to be a part of the festival and contribute in dedicating the date palm trees to Sheikh Khalifa," said an excited Al Glanei.

In addition to the Date Tree Planting feature, other key features at the festival include: a cooking area, Al Ain Dairy Kid Zone, Date Tree Climbing competition, Date Palm Photo Competition, and Date Tasting.-TradeArabia News Service