Camel Festival Debut in the Emirates
UAE will soon have its share of the ship of the desert in the days to come. The first ever Mazayin Dhafra Camel Festival is being held at the Western Region in April. This is in continuation with the age old importance camels have been holding in Arab culture. A highlight of the event is the Camel Beauty Contest that will be organized from April 2 to April 10, 2008 at the Zayed City.
The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) is organizing the camel festival which in turn is being sponsored by General Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The event is a part of efforts aimed at furthering local folklore and culture. Organizers hope that the event will become UAE’s annual date with some of the best camels in the world.
Some eligibility criteria for the participating camels:
• The participating camels have to be pure-bred.
• The participating camels must not have any contagious diseases.
• The participating camels have to have proven ownership.
The camels will be divided as per age groups. An individual can participate with more than one camel as long as the ownership has valid proof.
Around 2,000 competitors have already registered themselves for the event. The number is expected to rise. Winners will get cash prizes worth 35 million AED along with 100 cars being given away as well.
