A weeklong celebration of the date fruit and its culture, tradition and heritage, started at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, deputy prime minister of the UAE, minister of Presidential Affairs and chairman of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, inaugurated Emirates International Date Palm Festival in the presence of a number of top officials and VIPS. Rashid Mohamed Al-Shariqi, director general of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), said the success of the previous editions of the Date Palm Festival was the reason why top producers and exporters of dates and date products were attracted to take part in the festival. “More than 165 exhibitors from 18 countries are taking part this time, in addition to official pavilions from a number of countries, including Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan, Libya, Palestine and Tunisia, displaying the best varieties of dates,” he said. “The festival is hosting several new activities this year, highlighting the heritage of previous generations so that their successors living today become more aware of the importance of the date palm and the date fruit. This event is an occasion to educate the people about the traditions and heritage of the UAE as well as for dates businesses to interact with each other and explore business opportunities. The festival testifies to the extent to which the UAE cares for preserving its glorious heritage and culture,” he concluded. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan was taken on a guided tour through the festival area where he met exhibitors and sampled some of the most delicious date fruits and date products produced in the GCC region. From : Arabnews