Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the 22nd edition of the Liwa Rutab (semi-ripe dates) Festival will take place in the city of Liwa in Al Dhafra Region from 14th to 23rd July. Organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, the festival will feature 23 competitions with 295 prizes totalling more than AED8 million.
The Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority unveiled details of the new edition during a press conference held today at Mohammed Khalaf Majlis in Abu Dhabi. The event was attended by Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi, Acting Director-General of the Authority, executive directors of the Authority, as well as a number of farmers and enthusiasts of rutab competitions and heritage contests.
Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi expressed his appreciation for the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose continued support has enabled the Liwa Rutab Festival to build on 22 consecutive years of success, establishing it as one of the UAE's largest and most prominent rutab festivals.
He said that celebrating the rutab season reflects a legacy established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who made the palm tree a symbol of generosity and development and enshrined its place at the heart of Emirati society. He added that this legacy has been carried forward through the community-centred vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, contributing to preserving heritage and passing it on to future generations while supporting the agricultural sector and enhancing its sustainability in line with the UAE's food security goals.
Al Muhairi reaffirmed the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority's commitment to continuously developing its agricultural festivals in line with its vision of serving the agricultural sector, encouraging farmers to adopt innovative best agricultural practices and promoting environmental sustainability to ensure the continued growth and development of national resources in accordance with the highest international standards.
He added that the Liwa Rutab Festival, together with the Authority's other festivals and programmes, serves as a vital bridge connecting younger generations with their national heritage and strengthening their national identity. He also expressed his appreciation to the festival's partners, supporters and all participants for their continued support in ensuring the success of this important agricultural event.
Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the Festivals and Events Sector, praised the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, to launch the Kharayef Al Bayt (Home Harvest) Competition, describing it as a qualitative initiative aimed at reviving the community's relationship with the palm tree and encouraging families to cultivate and care for date palms at home as a symbol of generosity and the deep-rooted bond between Emiratis and their land.
Al Mazrouei said the Liwa Rutab Festival is among the UAE's largest rutab festivals, featuring 23 competitions with 295 prizes worth more than AED8 million. These include 11 rutab competitions, seven fruit competitions, three model farm competitions covering the Eastern and Western Mahadir of Al Dhafra and Al Dhafra cities, in addition to the Best Rutab Basket Competition and the Palm Trunk Creativity Competition.
He added that the festival will also feature a rutab and agricultural products market, a heritage market, a traditional crafts corner, folk arts performances, a family corner, awareness lectures and workshops, as well as participation by government and private sector entities and strategic partners.
Mubarak Al Qusaili, Director of Rutab Competitions, described the Liwa Rutab Festival as an important national platform for supporting farmers and encouraging them to improve their production and enhance the quality of Emirati rutab and agricultural products, thereby strengthening the competitiveness of local produce and ensuring the sustainability of the agricultural sector.
Regarding the competitions, Al Qusaili said the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority has adopted clear criteria to ensure fairness and transparency among all participants, including product quality and safety, compliance with technical requirements and farm assessment based on best agricultural practices in the relevant categories. He urged prospective participants to review the regulations governing each competition and adhere to registration and submission deadlines to help ensure the success of the festival and achieve its objectives.
To facilitate participation, the Authority has enabled online registration for all competitions through the Falak Al Namoos smart application, which provides registration services, application tracking, and access to regulations, schedules, results, announcements and the latest news.
