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Under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, today,
Tuesday, at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, the ceremony of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in its fifteenth session 2023 was held.
The ceremony was inaugurated by Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, in the presence of Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defense Affairs, and Maryam bint Mohammed Saeed. Hareb Al-Muhairi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Major General Khaled Shuaib, Governor of Matrouh in the Arab Republic of Egypt, Dr. Jose Graziano da Silva, former Director-General of the FAO, and Dr. Abdul Karim Al-Waer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Regional Representative for the East Middle and North Africa Region (FAO-RNE), a number of members of the diplomatic corps in the country, members of the Board of Trustees, winners and honorees of the award, and a large crowd of specialists and those interested in palm cultivation, date production and agricultural innovation.
Eng. Muhammad Issa al-Hiyari, Secretary General of the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Anwar Haddad, President of the Jordanian Dates Association, and Dr. Reda Khawaldeh, Executive Secretary of the Union of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (Arinina), also participated in the ceremony from Jordan and in the two-day seminars and lectures. Mr. Yazan Abu Hantash, Executive Director of Palmyra Company, and a number of officials and specialists in the Jordanian palm and date sector.
Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Award, delivered a speech during the honoring ceremony, in which he referred to his great appreciation for Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE,who always stresses the importance of the UAE being A model and role model, in contributing to all the achievements of scientific development, to enhance cooperation and joint action, in everything that achieves the development and development of the palm cultivation and date production sector, within a wise vision, which represents a natural extension of the values and principles established by the founder of the state, the late Sheikh Zayed. Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul.
In his speech, Sheikh Nahyan also extended his deepest thanks, and great appreciation and respect, to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, for his strong support for this award, his wise guidance, and his pride in unlimited support for the award, thanks to which With his support, the award received a prestigious position and contributed to the realization of the wise leadership’s vision for the development and development of the palm cultivation sector and date production in the UAE, the region, and the world. And this is within the framework of his comprehensive vision, and his keenness for the UAE to always be at the forefront, in cooperation and joint work, with everyone, “His Highness always assures us that the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation is an important tool that contributes to achieving convergence and cooperation.” between people, and useful and important work, in order to achieve good and prosperity for the individual and society.
person of the Year
Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan honored Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, as the Personality of the Year 2023 for his influential role in supporting successful agricultural development in the UAE, and his clear interest in the field of palm cultivation and date production. Sheikh Nahyan also honored a number Among the national and international personalities who contributed to the service and development of the date palm cultivation and date production sector, they are:
Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bawardi Al Falasi, Minister of State for Defense Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Jose Graziano Da Silva, Former Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Director of the Zero Hunger Institute, and Professor Saeed Sultan Salmeen bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Special Affairs Adviser at The Court of the representative of the ruler in Al Ain region, Major General Khaled Shuaib, Governor of Matrouh, Arab Republic of Egypt, and Mr. Saud bin Abdul Karim Al-Fada, Director General of the Saleh bin Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi Endowment Department, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Honoring the winners of the international award
Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan honored the winners of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in its fifteenth session 2023, as follows: For the category of pioneering development and production projects, the Municipality of Al Ain City from the United Arab Emirates won, and for the category of distinguished research, studies and modern technology, the winners Equally between: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology / Center for Palms and Dates in Al-Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. And Dr. Sinan Abu Qamar, from the United Arab Emirates University, and for the distinguished personality category in the field of date palms, dates, and agricultural innovation. and Distinguished Marketers, winner Dr. Lai Kok Song, Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE.
Honoring local award winners
After that, Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak honored the winners of the Distinguished Farmer and Innovative Farmer Award in the UAE at its fifth session 2023, which is organized by the General Secretariat of the Award in cooperation with Al Foah Company. Moza Muhammad Bakhit Al-Hamiri, and for the intermediate farm category, the first place won: Khamis Muhammad Khamis Fareeh Al-Qubaisi, and the second place won: Rashid Hamad Musabeh Fares Al-Shamsi, and for the above-intermediate farm category, the first place won: Ali Saeed Hamouda Khamis Al-Aryani, and the second place won: Saif Rashid Saeed Hashel Al Zahmi, and for the large farm category, Khalifa Butti Mohammed Khalifa Al Shamsi won the first place.
The first international conference for the production and trade of dates
Sheikh Nahyan also announced during the honoring ceremony the launch of the activities of the first international conference for the production and trade of dates, which is organized by the General Secretariat of the Award in cooperation with the Association for the Development and Development of Horticultural Exports (Haya) in the Arab Republic of Egypt. Its activities will start on Tuesday afternoon, March 14, 2023, and will continue until March 15 2023 with the participation of a group of experts, scholars, and specialists in the manufacture, marketing and trade of dates around the world. The conference will review 18 scientific papers dealing with the opportunities and challenges associated with the production and international trade of dates, as well as maximizing the added value and increasing the competitiveness of Arab dates.
The first meeting of the International Network of the Unknown Class
Sheikh Nahyan also indicated in the speech of the honoring ceremony the importance on which the award relies on as a result of holding the first meeting of the members of the International Network for the Unknown Class, which will start its work on Tuesday, March 14 and continue until March 15, 2023, with the participation of 20 experts representing 15 producing countries of the unknown class, recognizing that For the challenges facing the cultivation and production of the Medjool variety, and the economic and social importance of the cultivation of Medjool in many countries around the world, due to the strategic importance of this variety in the international trade of dates and its repercussions on the national economies of the Medjool producing countries, we wish the two communities success.
International praise for the UAE’s efforts
For his part, Dr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), praised in his speech delivered on his behalf by Dr. Abdul Hakim Al-Waer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa (FAO-RNE) During the ceremony honoring the efforts of the United Arab Emirates and the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, in supporting and developing the palm cultivation sector, date production and agricultural innovation at the regional and international levels. He renewed his appreciation and pride in the pioneering role of the leadership of the United Arab Emirates, which was represented in the interest of His Highness the President of the State, “may God protect him,” and the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, for this ceremony.
Award achievements
The honoring ceremony also included a film showing the achievements of the award during fifteen years of positive impact in serving the palm cultivation sector and date production. It will enhance food security, thanks to the directives and support of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and the follow-up of Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Award.
Signing 04 memorandums of understanding
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Award, also witnessed the signing of four memorandums of understanding with a number of ministers of agriculture and directors of international organizations in a number of countries with the aim of strengthening cooperation between the General Secretariat of the Award and regional and international organizations in a way that contributes to the development and development of Palm cultivation sector, date production and agricultural innovation at the national, Arab and international levels, as follows:
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania regarding the organization of the first International Festival of Mauritanian Dates 2022, the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences in the People’s Republic of China, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment regarding the sustainable development of date palm cultivation, and the “International Institute for the Total Eradication of Hunger” regarding promoting Food security and sustainable development, and the International Dates Council in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, regarding cooperation between the two institutions to develop the palm cultivation sector and date production.
Launching two new books
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan also witnessed the launch of the book (The Unknown Class, Durrat Al Tamour) in Spanish, in the presence of Mr. Luis Alfonso García de Alba, Ambassador of Mexico to the United Arab Emirates. And the launch of the climate map book of the most important varieties of dates cultivated in the Arab Republic of Egypt in its Arabic and English versions, in the presence of Mr. Abdel Hamid El Demerdash, Chairman of the Export Council for Agricultural Crops in the Arab Republic of Egypt, and Mr. Sherif Eissa, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the United Arab Emirates.
