ABU DHABI // Preparations are under way for the launch of the 10th Liwa Date Festival, which for the second year in a row takes place during Ramadan.
The festival in Liwa, Al Gharbia, runs from Saturday until July 18 and features a wide range of Emirati heritage and art activities, from fruit competitions to a traditional market.
Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, adviser for culture and heritage at the court of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and chairman of the cultural programmes and heritage festivals committee in Abu Dhabi, said the palm tree would be a major focus, something deeply connected to Emirati heritage and culture.
“We do not want this tree to remain only a part of a past that we celebrate. Until today, we still listen to tales about the different rituals that have been practised in preparation for Al Ratab [date] season. There are tales and stories that are known only by the skilled and experienced fathers who, despite old age, continue to practise these traditions and work towards their transmission to future generations.”
The half-ripe dates competition is a highlight of the festival, with the fruit gathered two months before the festivities begin.
The festival, held on an area of more than 20,000 square metres, has become a major tourist event.
“The significance of the Liwa Date Festival arises out of an ability to draw all lovers of heritage and tradition, as well as those interested in land resources, half-ripe dates and civilisational legacy,” said Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, the festival’s director. “The palm tree cultivation is not only a heritage and tradition but also a present [time] that we are living and trying to transmit to future generations.”
He said the festival, which is open from 8pm to 1am, “is considered the most important event in the Liwa region at the Gate of the Empty Quarter because it offers farmers a unique opportunity to meet with a public of different nationalities and ages”.
This year’s festival will for the first time launch the model farm award and the fruits of the house competition for local farmers.
For more information, and location maps, visit www.liwadatesfestival.ae
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Where to donate in the UAE
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
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