The 6th annual Emirates International Date Palm Festival, set to be held next month, will feature a number of activities for families to enjoy and learn the importance of the date fruit in the rich traditions of the region.

The programmes featured this year include theatre performances, palm tree climbing, date tree planting, kid’s area, photo gallery competition and date tasting, a statement said.

Organised by Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), Date Palm Friends Society and Turret Media, the festival will be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and chairman of ADFCA.

Mohammad Jalal Al Reyaysa, chairman of the Higher Organising Committee for the Festival and the official spokesperson for ADFCA, said: "The Date Palm Festival is our way of paying tribute to a significant part of our culture and heritage. At the same time, it is also an occasion for promoting the commercial aspect of the dates’ industry.”

“The UAE is among the top producers and exporters of dates and dates products in the world. The festival presents a rare opportunity for dates businesses from around the globe to liaise with one another and explore possibilities of cooperation and collaboration.”

"We expect to attract well over 18,000 visitors this year. In addition to all our activities, we have a new feature called ‘One Golden Ticket’. All the exhibitors participating have provided us with a variety of gifts. People will have to enter their names in a raffle any time during the festival and at the end; one lucky winner will get all the gifts,” Al Reyaysa said.

One of the key features at this year’s festival is the date palm theatre, in which students from schools in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the western region will entertain audiences throughout the week with plays, dances, competitions and fashion shows, whilst highlighting the region’s customs and traditions, the statement said.

This is organised in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Education Council.

After having a favourable response last year with over 400 saplings planted, the Date Tree Planting feature is set to return giving festival patrons a chance to be a part of history and contribute to enhancing the UAE environment.

ADFCA has allocated a specific area in Abu Dhabi where the planted saplings will be nurtured into date palm trees for future generations to enjoy. Showcasing how Emiratis lived decades ago, parents and children can visit the Heritage Village to learn how the nation’s ancestors lived, it said.

Competitions this year at the festival include the date tree climbing competition and the photo gallery competition. Avid climbers will race to the top of the date palm tree to be crowned the UAE’s fastest date tree climber.

Artistic vision of photographers will be rewarded as they can submit entries of photographic genius showcasing their individual interpretations of the date fruit or the date palm tree. The photographs will then be displayed during the festival for people to view.

A variety of fun activities will also be available for children at the learning booth in the kids’ area. Children can have their faces painted, learn about the nutritious benefit of the fruit and play with other children.

Over 200 exhibitors from 18 countries have confirmed their participation at this year’s festival. Visitors will also be able to taste the fruit from several leading exhibitors across the region at the date tasting area.

Exhibitors participating this year are confirmed to bring a variety of dates from countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Iraq, Tunisia, and Libya.

The festival will be held from November 26 to December 1 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), in Abu Dhabi, UAE.– TradeArabia News Service