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HERITAGE & CULTURE TO BE ON FULL DISPLAY DURING DSF

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) presented a comprehensive calendar of events and activities highlighting the country’s heritage and culture for the forthcoming Dubai Shopping Festival 2002 at a press conference in the emirate yesterday (February 17^th, 2002).

“We won the award for the most innovative project during DSF 2001, with the Arabian Bedouin Festival and we will build further on our success by incorporating elements of originality and a traditional style of execution this year,” said DTCM Director Operations and Marketing, Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb.

He noted that the genuine beauty and originality of the age-old Arabian Bedouin customs would be put on display during the month-long festival which will this year include participation of as many as 11 countries with three new participants - namely - Syria, Tunisia and Morocco.

“We will put the spotlight on the unique heritage and culture of the Arabian Bedouin from around the region who are unified by deep-rooted social and cultural ties and yet retain their own distinct identities,” remarked Mr. bin Hareb.

Elaborating on the major events, Mr. bin Hareb pointed out that a series of exhibitions underlining life in the past would be held at the Shindagha heritage sites including subjects as distinct as gahwa (Arabic coffee), heritage sports, handicrafts, gold jewellery and marital documents among others.

An exhibition of coins and currency will also be held with a one-day auction. Five per cent of the proceeds from the auction will go to handicapped children.

A historically significant event will be the Ahmed bin Majed exhibition highlighting the efforts of UAE’s explorer who facilitated Vasco Da Gama in reaching the Cape of Good Hope.

“We are confident that these exhibitions will help visitors to broaden their awareness of the country’s traditions and at the same time emphasize the necessity to preserve the diverse heritage,” said Mr. bin Hareb.

He added that the heritage sites will prove a major magnet once again for the musically inclined with traditional bands from the region as well as a troupe specially flown in from Yemen performing alongside the popular Dubai Police band.

Traditional games, competitions, handicrafts, traditional medicine corner and shops selling indigenous Arabic food will also be operational.

Popular activities being repeated from last year will include a convention for poets scheduled to take place every Wednesday, daily boat-building demonstrations, parachuting displays, win-a-pearl competitions, traditional cooking competitions and police cavalry shows among others.

Wedding enactments will provide an authentic visual delight, as twelve weddings will be re-enacted during the course of the month offering a look at customs and traditions from the past.

Important among the first time events would be Rashid’s Daughters Project as well as exhibitions of products produced by women from the Social Development cell of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs as well as handicapped children.

The exhibition titled Embracing Heritage & History Exhibition will feature displays from eight different museums within the UAE.

Children will be well catered for at the Shindagha heritage sites with a series of programmes, providing an opportunity for the young ones to be exposed to a variety of art forms as well as entertainment including heritage competitions, kids handicraft workshops and a climbing wall among others. More than 500 school children from the UAE will display their handicraft talents at the Heritage Village.

Ladies will have every Tuesday of the month designated as a ‘ladies day’ with entrance to the Heritage and Diving Village and Arabian Bedouin Festival solely for women. The Shindagha promenade and Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, however, will be open for male visitors as well throughout the week.

The Diving Village will be the venue emphasizing the country’s maritime heritage and will play host to the diving show that will draw attention to the historical importance of pearl diving.

A workshop for making paper from palm trees will communicate the importance of the date palm trees that are valuable among the Bedouin for their utility as a source of food and shade from the strong desert sun.

“Hand-made paper is produced from date palm fronds and is completely free of chemicals and has a relatively long, fade-resistant life,” said Mr. bin Hareb.

To boost visibility of the heritage and culture promotions, there will be programmes covering the daily events and activities both locally as well as regionally while international print and broadcast media are being flown in to cover the event.

Mr. bin Hareb stressed, “Dubai upholds a respect for its past and we have succeeded in striking a balance between retaining our culture and keeping in step with the times. Let me assure you that the DTCM will once again successfully create a classic ambiance of a bygone era, offering a complete diversion from the pressures of the business world,” Mr. bin Hareb concluded.