The sixth edition of the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival is set to be bigger and busier than ever. The event, which opens on Thursday November 19 and continues until December 12, will feature 10,000 camels, thousands of performers, hundreds of horses, falcons, sheep and Salukis, dozens of exhibitions and 35 interactive areas.
“This festival reflects the extent of the people’s loyalty to this great leader, God rest his soul, Sheikh Zayed,” says Humaid Saeed Al Neyadi, vice chairman of the festival’s higher organising committee.
“Sheikh Zayed’s interest in heritage and in our cultural roots and in everything that is related to the UAE’s heritage is something we will always continue to honour.”
Here are our top five picks of what not to miss at Al Wathba, the site of the festival.
• The Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival opens today and continues until December 12 at Al Wathba, a 40-minute drive from Abu Dhabi. Entry is free. For more information, call 800 555 or visit www.zayedfestival.com
Heritage squares
The artefacts, handicrafts, cuisines, costumes, folk crafts, traditions and customs of nine countries will be showcased at the festival this year.
“We wanted to be really varied this year, so besides the heritage of the UAE we chose eight other countries of the world to increase international attention,” says Al Neyadi. “We will have souqs of these countries, as well as cultural events and a cultural exchange between them and the UAE.”
Each square is built in the style of historical landmarks that represent each nation’s identity.
In addition to the Emirati Square, look out for squares representing Morocco, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
“These squares are a treasure to the festival,” says Al Neyadi.
Dhow building
“The ancestors of the UAE were skilled craftsmen when it came to making dhows,” says Al Neyadi. Dhows played an integral part in the development of the UAE during the nation’s early years, and there is a dedicated section of the festival highlighting that aspect of history. Visitors can watch the construction of authentic dhows, using traditional methods and material, and have the chance to try their hand at it.
Adjacent to the dhow-building area of the festival is the sailing corner, which presents an impressive showcase of the country’s varied traditional boating and rowing sports.
Exhibitions galore
There is the Presidential Camel Exhibition as well as Traditional Customs; Our Dates, Our Heritage; Martyrs of the Nation; Zayed and the Horse; and Memories of a Nation. Keep an eye out for the Falcons Exhibition, where visitors can learn about the legacy of falconry as a sport, falcons of the world, hunting and training falcons, the Falcon Club's activities and its falconry paraphernalia, not to mention the importance of falcons to the UAE's heritage. Also check out the Arabian Saluki Exhibition. For thousands of years, Arab Bedouin have raised Salukis because of their exceptional abilities, intelligence and loyalty. They have been used for hunting, travelling, escorting and guarding.
Historic mosque
Built around 1446, Al Bidya Mosque is an archaeological monument in the village of Al Bidya in Fujairah. It is the UAE’s oldest mosque and is still in use – prayers continue to be held there and have been uninterrupted since the mosque’s construction. A replica of Al Bidya, using the same materials used to build the original mosque, has been constructed for the festival and is open to visitors. Burnt clay is used as a binding material in the replica to ensure it identically matches the historical mosque in its architectural details, decoration and even its unique internal aroma. “This mosque is a source of pride for us as a nation,” says Al Neyadi. “Now, everyone can marvel at this wonder.”
Zaman Awal Play Area
Children have plenty to enjoy at the festival. “We planned it as a fun, family day out, with something for all ages,” says Al Neyadi. “We are celebrating the UAE’s cultural inheritance, showcasing the rich diversity of our traditions and at the same time, this is educational for every visitor, but in a fun and interactive way.”
A funfair has been installed on the sidelines of the festival, and fireworks are planned for each night. The Zaman Awal Play Area will be stocked with toys and games of the types enjoyed for decades in the UAE. Children can sign up for workshops that teach them about building boats, taming falcons or riding camels and horses. There is also a craft corner, with activities such as clay moulding, working with a millstone and applying henna.
artslife@thenational.ae
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Company%20Profile
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Stan%20Lee
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
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Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
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Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) | US$95,000 | (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) ) | $175,000) | (Turf) 1,600m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 3 (TB) ) | $300,000) | (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Curlin Handicap Listed (TB)) | $160,000) | (D) 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB)) | $175,000) | (T) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (T) 2,000m
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
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Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
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TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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