UAE, Abu Dhabi, 18th November 2014: The Higher Organizing Committee of Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival 2014 has revealed exceptional preparations for the Grand Opening Ceremony of the festival. Magnificent surprises await lovers of UAE heritage, and a special concert will be held on November 20 at 5pm, at the main festival stage in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival 2014 will be held from 20 November until 12 December 2014 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, may God protect him; and the support of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The festival is held under the supervision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The opening ceremony operetta will start with a poem for the founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul; with a performance by renowned Emirati artist Hussain Al Jasmi entitled: ‘Ya shabab lab nedaakom’. This is considered the crown jewel of the tributes to Sheikh Zayed, who urged the nation to make sacrifices to uphold our flag and defend our national prosperity.
Commenting on the preparations for the festival, His Excellency Humaid Neyadi, Vice Chairperson of the Higher Organizing Committee of Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival 2014 and General Manager of the Private Office of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, expressed his sincere appreciation for the special efforts of His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Advisor to the President and Chairman of the Emirates Camel Racing Federation, who has helped the festival to honour the name of the founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, and promote the ancient history of the UAE in which its future is deeply rooted.
HE Neyadi pointed out: “We in the Higher Organizing Committee of Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival 2014 look forward to hosting a festival that is exceptional in all standards, to give it the quality which Their Highnesses always strive for. This event will be worthy of the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, God rest his soul. It will portray the UAE’s history as a window for current and future generations to experience the philosophy and interests of Sheikh Zayed, may God have mercy on him.”
HE Neyadi reiterated that Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him, had a great heart that had a special place for all the people of the UAE. Therefore the festival bears his name and is a massive national showcase that builds a strong foundation for elevating Abu Dhabi into the world’s cultural capital. The educational format will accelerate the transfer of this rich heritage to the new generation, in an entertaining and enlightening way that enhances national pride.
Concluding his remarks, HE Neyadi said: “We will have a grand opening ceremony that befits our founding father, highlighting the various interests of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. There will be numerous paintings representing the various elements of Emirati heritage, as well as many surprises that will delight the public, so everyone is invited to attend and participate in this spectacular national celebration.”
In turn, HE Abdullah Al Muhairi, Director of the Emirates Camel Racing Federation and a member of the Higher Organizing Committee of the festival said: “We all recall the luminous words of our founding father that still illuminate our path today, when he said: ‘It is important to preserve our ancient heritage because our future is deeply rooted in it.’ This event is a vital milestone on the road to shaping the future of current and future generations. As the Higher Organizing Committee, we have worked on making the festival both educational and entertaining, intellectually stimulating our young generation to engage enthusiastically in activities that reflect the smallest details of our past and build a strong foundation to launch our cultural renaissance.”
HE Al Muhairi added: “The festival includes many family-oriented events as the family is an important focus of the festival, and we have dedicated a wide variety of events for everyone. We have also dedicated a special space for musical concerts to reflect the UAE’s authentic heritage.”
HE Al Muhairi noted that the opening of Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival 2014 will be outstanding by all standards, bringing to life an integrated encyclopedia of the UAE’s heritage by presenting paintings and other Emirati arts to evoke old Emirati environments. 5,000 performers will participate in the heritage carnival and there will be impressive fireworks. He also pointed out that the ceremony will include many special surprises for the public.
Elaborating further, HE Al Muhairi said the impressive magnitude of the opening ceremony does not end there, as there will also be more than 500 authentic Arabian horses of world-famous pedigree from the Al Nahyan stables, in addition to over 200 camels that symbolize the pride our nation has inherited over hundreds of years.
HE Al Muhairi emphasized that everyone is invited to attend the festival’s opening ceremony, whose grand scale will match the magnitude and importance of the festival.
It is noteworthy that Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival 2014 includes many new attractions that will be showcased for the first time. These include the research competition that was announced earlier to encourage greater innovation and involvement by various stakeholders from all segments of society and all ages.
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