Abu Dhabi has announced the dates for this year's upcoming 14th Liwa Date Festival in Al Dhafra as Wednesday 18 to Saturday 28 July.
Under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the annual event seeks to facilitate the exchange of technical expertise among farmers and transform the date palm into a symbol of Emirati perseverance, wealth and prosperity.
The upcoming festival is expected to attract a large audience for its events and activities, according to state news agency Wam, including competitions, date auctions, lectures that aim to raise awareness on the importance of the palm tree, special workshops for children, poetry evenings, games and a children's village.
The Liwa Date Festival plays an increasing role in tourism. A visitor can discover a range of products made of date palm, in addition to date sweets, and jumar, the milky-white inner part of the tree heart.
The palm tree has played a great role in catering to the nutritional and daily life needs of human communities in the desert.