Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, witnessed Emirati heritage on full display during a tour of Liwa Date Festival on Tuesday.
Sheikh Khaled led a high-level delegation visiting the 19th instalment of the festival, viewed as one of the most important events in the country's cultural calendar.
He was told how enterprising farmers have embraced cutting-edge technology to help the beloved fruit to thrive.
The annual event features a pop-up market, as well as an auction where large crowds of visitors can purchase a wide variety of date products.
Thousands of farmers turn out in force each year to show off their produce and bid to win their share of a Dh8 million ($2.17 million) prize fund for being best in show.
Sheikh Khaled was briefed on the latest developments and advances in date palm cultivation.
He met a number of participants in the festival, representing both home-grown and international companies, which offered insight into the staple food's treasured place in Emirati life.
The festival, held under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, got under way on July 17 and will conclude on Sunday.
Sheikh Khaled was joined by Maj Gen Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, commander-in-chief of Abu Dhabi Police and chairman of the Festivals Management Committee and Cultural and Heritage Programmes; Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, chairman of the Department of Community Development; Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, chairman of both the Department of Municipalities and Transport and Abu Dhabi Housing Authority; Saif Saeed Ghobash, secretary general of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; and several senior officials.
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PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Company%20profile
Golden Shoe top five (as of March 1):
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Age: 24
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Education: Master’s Degree
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How Beautiful this world is!
The specs
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
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The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
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The Bio
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
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Launched: February 2020
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Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
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