Al Yasat Festival Organising Committee unveils details of first edition

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, Al Yasat Festival is set to take place from 15th to 19th November in Al Sila' city in Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi.

Organised by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee - Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club in cooperation with Emirates Heritage Club and Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the festival features a total prize pool of approximately AED 5 million.

The Organising Committee of the Al Yasat Festival announced the details of the inaugural edition during a press conference held on Tuesday at Abu Dhabi Sports Council's headquarters. The event was attended by several media representatives, as well as noukhadas and athletes who are set to take part in the festival.

Zayed Sari Al Mazrouei, Head of Events Department at the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee - Abu Dhabi, said that Al Yasat Festival encompasses a wide range of events and competitions taking place on the beach of Al Sila' city in the Al Dhafra region. The festival features numerous traditional and modern marine sports competitions and a variety of activities aimed at strengthening the role of heritage in safeguarding the national identity. It also offers the residents of the Al Dhafra region a plethora of community and entertainment events designed for all age groups.

Al Mazrouei added that the festival also features a traditional market operating from 16:00 to 22:00. The market includes shops to support productive families and pavilions representing participating and sponsoring organisations. It offers various competitions, events, folklore and heritage performances, traditional fashion shows, children's village, cooking competitions, traditional handicrafts, daily stage performances, quizzes, prizes, and various other entertainment activities designed to engage and entertain visitors.

He pointed out that the organising committee has allocated 338 prizes to be awarded across 20 different competitions with a combined value of approximately AED5 million. Some of the notable competitions include the 60ft class dhow race, Al-Qaffay 22ft class dhow race, Al Sila' Regatta, Carrom competition for both men and women, Stand-up Paddle Boarding (with distances of 1 km for participants under 16 and 2 km for those 16 and above), Dominoes competition for both men and women, Beach Volleyball championship, Beach Soccer tournament for adults and juniors, Running race for both adults and juniors, Fishing contest, Best Traditional Dress competition, Cooking competitions, Swimming competition for adults and juniors, and a cycling race.

For his part, Khalifa Al Rumaithi, Head of Heritage Racing Department at Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, stressed that Al Yasat Festival represents an important opportunity to hold various heritage and modern marine races and events, a sailing regatta, in addition to a wide range of heritage events and competitions in the heritage village located within the festival.

He added, "At Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, we are fully committed to driving the advancement of both modern and traditional marine sports. Within Al Yasat Festival, we proudly feature a significant number of heritage races that revive UAE's substantial and culturally rich marine heritage, exemplified by the 60ft class and 22ft class dhow races."

The festival aims to enhance the role of traditional sailing sports in society, recognising them as a crucial element of UAE's diverse and authentic cultural heritage. Additionally, it seeks to shine a spotlight on the UAE coastal cities, islands, and marine festivals. The festival also aims to inspire participation in both traditional and modern marine sports, and actively expand their reach to different regions. Furthermore, the event has a key goal of highlighting, preserving, and transmitting Emirati heritage and social customs to future generations while also strengthening the position of Al Dhafra region as a noteworthy hub for culture, heritage, tourism, and sports.

Ali Salmeen Al Dhaheri, Head of Heritage Sports Department at Abu Dhabi Sports Council, stated that the Council plays a pivotal role in organising a wide range of local and international sporting events in the Al Dhafra region. He elaborated that currently, Al Dhafra’s cities host 28 local and international sports events, and that there are plans to further expand this number to reach 38 events in the coming year. These events will encompass a wide spectrum of games and sports, including running, cycling, swimming, fitness, traditional sports, and numerous others.

Al Dhaheri emphasised that Al Yasat Festival amplifies the significance of traditional sailing sports in society, underscoring their deep roots within UAE’s authentic heritage. He added that the festival plays a significant role in promoting UAE’s coastal cities and islands through such marine events, which attract the interest of Emirati citizens and residents.