The second edition of the Al Wathba Date Festival has concluded. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the event was organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority.
The festival, which commenced on 10 January 2025, featured 12 competitions for date packaging – both with and without additives – covering six varieties of dates: Khalas, Fard, Dabbas, Bumaan, Shishi, and Zamli. A total of 120 prizes, exceeding AED2 million, were allocated for the competitions, which attracted 310 date producers and manufacturers from across the UAE. Participants presented over 3,100kg of premium dates, utilising innovative and sustainable packaging designed to meet high-quality standards.
The festival showcased more than 200 varieties of dates and related products across 40 dedicated shops, with 172 date producers and manufacturers participating in rotation over 79 days. To ensure diversity, the festival revamped its line-up of shops every 10 days, offering visitors a dynamic selection of Emirati dates and a variety of date-based products, including items crafted from date palm components.
The festival aims to raise awareness about the importance of the palm tree, aligning with the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to ensure the sustainability of date palm cultivation while encouraging date production, date trade, and related industries. It also supports food security initiatives, contributing to their long-term sustainability.
As a specialised platform for marketing and selling Emirati and international dates and their products, the festival plays a vital role in preserving the country’s agricultural heritage. It also facilitates the exchange of expertise among farmers from around the world, promoting modern agricultural techniques, palm tree care, and the rich Emirati heritage.
