Liwa Date Festival ends in compliance with Covid-19 norms

Liwa Date Festival ends in compliance with Covid-19 norms

The Liwa Date Festival that celebrates the UAE's culture and heritage and supports local agriculture produce concluded in the Abu Dhabi emirate's Al Dhafra on Sunday. The 17th edition of the festival was held from July 15 to 25 and prizes worth over Dh8 million were given out. Each year, thousands of farmers compete to win prizes for the heaviest date branch and the best fruit basket. The festival aims to introduce date farmers to modern agricultural practices and facilitates the exchange of expertise on innovative ways to produce the best quality date. This year, the festival was organised in compliance with all precautionary measures owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Visitors were barred entry and only date farmers and participants in the competition were allowed to take part. The participants had to present a Covid-19 vaccination certificate and a negative PCR test report as the eligibility norm for the competitions. The event offers an opportunity to highlight the significance of palm trees in the Emirati culture and also to taste half-ripe Ratab dates. In the UAE's rich history, the palm tree occupies place as a national symbol of heritage and a major source for food security. Eissa Saif Al Mazrouei,