Abu el-Haggag: El-Tahrir House working hard to ensure festival’s success
Tawfik: Al-Gomhuria takes pride in sponsoring camel race
The organising committee of the Egyptian- Emirati Camel and Heritage Championship has convened at the headquarters of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in downtown Cairo to discuss preparations for the festival, which will be held in March of 2023 under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhi, chaired the meeting, in the presence of a host of senior officials, including South Sinai Governor, Khaled Fouda, and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Deputy Ambassador to Egypt, Saleh al-Saadi.
Head of the Egyptian Camel Racing Federation, Eid Hemdan, was also present, along with Eyad Abu el-Haggag, board chair- man of el-Tahrir Publishing and Printing House, which is the media and advertisement sponsor of the festival, and al-Gomhouria newspaper Editor-in-Chief, Abdel Razek Tawfik.
Minister Sobhi referred to interest by Egypt’s political leadership in sponsoring heritage sports activities, such as camel racing.
President Sisi, he said, is keen to strengthen co-operation in this regard with other Arab countries, in general, and the UAE, in particular.
He underscored deep relations with the UAE in various fields, describing these relations as ‘firm’, ‘historical’ and ‘long-standing’. “The Ministry of Youth and Sports spares no effort to implement the president’s directives to make the second edition of Egyptian- Emirati Camel and Heritage Festival a success,” the minister said.
He revealed that his ministry had allocated 600 million Egyptian pounds (roughly $24.3 million) to get sports facilities in South Sinai ready for the festival.
The minister praised efforts made by Governor Fouda in implementing a compre- hensive and efficient plan to make this global event a great success.
Minister Sobhi said the second Egyptian- Emirati Camel and Heritage Championship is the outcome of co-operation and coordination between the ministries of youth and sports, tourism, culture, and social solidarity, on one hand, and South Sinai Governorate, on the other.
He thanked the UAE government, the Emirates Falconers’ Club and Camel fed- erations in Egypt and the UAE for the sup- port they are giving to the event.
He also praised el-Tahrir Printing and Publishing House as a media and advertise- ment partner of the festival.
“The festival includes a host of Egyptian and Emirati folklore shows,” the minister said.
He said these shows would reflect interest of the two countries in authentic Arab values and customs.
Governor Fouda, for his part, said his gov- ernorate would organise training next month for participants in the festival.
The training, he said, aims to educate these participants about the different activities of the festival.
“We invite all contestants and camel lovers in Egypt and the UAE to take part in this global event,” the governor Khaled Fouda, said.
The governor expressed appreciation of Minister Sobhi, especially of his ‘unwavering support’ to develop sports infrastructure in South Sinai.
“We look forward to a distin- guished version of camel race in March,” Governor Fouda said.
He noted that South Sinai had finalised preparations for holding such a great event, including by developing the camel track in Sharm el-Sheikh.
The governor noted that Sharm el-Sheikh is ready to receive the senior offi- cials and guests who will participate in the festival. A veterinary hospital, he said, a media centre, and a VIP lounge were established in preparation for this global The governor added that lighting systems in the camel track were also revamped.
“This upgrade qualifies the camels track in Sharm el-Sheikh to be the best in Africa,” Governor Fouda said.
He hailed what he described as ‘fruitful co- operation’ between Egypt and the UAE in various domains, describing the two coun- tries’ relations as ‘deeply rooted’.
The governor referred to UAE support to Egypt in developing the camels track in Sharm el-Sheikh.
The track extends over 941 feddans (around 976 acres). The construction of the track cost roughly 100 million Egyptian pounds (about $4.5 million). The spectators’ benches of the track have room for up to 500 people.
The governor noted that President Sisi and UAE President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, opened the first edition of the Arab Heritage Festival in Sharm el-Sheikh in January 2020.
The UAE sent Egypt eight of its finest pure- bred camel species, along with four females, which will be the cornerstone of Egypt’s camel breeding project.
Governor Fouda expressed hopes that the UAE would train 20 Egyptian Bedouins in camel racing performances, noting that this training would help the Bedouins preserve heritage sports.
“These sports achieve many social and eco- nomic gains,” the governor said.
Deputy Ambassador al-Saadi appreciated what he described as ‘fraternal ties’ with Egypt.
Egypt, he said, always works to promote relations with fellow Arab states.
He cited instructions by the founder of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan, for preserving strong relations with Egypt at all levels.
“Camel racing is a cultural and a sports heritage for many peoples in the world,” al- Saadi said. “It has, however, a special position in the UAE, being one of the most prominent characteristics of the Emirati heritage.”
He said this heritage shaped the national identity of the Emirati people, one generation after another.
The first edition of the Egyptian-Emirati Camel and Heritage Festival was held in early 2020 in Sharm el-Sheikh.
The festival threw light on the heritage of Bedouin communities in Egypt and the UAE. Camel racing was a means of resolving conflicts between Bedouin tribes. It remained a unique sport in Egypt and other Arab Middle Eastern states for many years.
Deputy Ambassador al-Saadi said camel racing receives special attention from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and UAE Vice- President, Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as well as from the members of the Supreme Council of the UAE.
He revealed that the UAE has approxi- mately 34 camel racing fields and holds vari- ous festivals.
“This heritage sport flourished greatly and is widespread in our country,” the deputy ambassa- dor said.
He added that those interest- ed in heritage activities, espe- cially camel racing and fal- conry, wait eagerly for festi- vals and competitions on these sports.
“We, in turn, work hard to encourage these people to enhance popular heritage,” Deputy Ambassador al- Saadi said.
He explained that his country would put its full weight behind the Egyptian-Emirati Camel and Heritage Festival, to be held in March 2023.
The UAE diplomat also commended co-oper- ation between institutions in Egypt and the UAE. This co-operation, he said, achieves pros- perity for the two countries’ peoples and preserves their heritage and common values.
He also praised preparations made for the festival by the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports and South Sinai Governorate.
He said he has confidence in Minister Sobhi, noting that the UAE would always sup- port measures taken to unite Arab countries.
Meanwhile, Head of the Egyptian Camel Racing Federation, Eid Hemdan, expressed pride at the interest the political leaderships in Egypt and the UAE are demonstrating in camel racing.
This sport, he said, enhances values and affiliation to the Arab civilisation and authen- tic Bedouin customs.
“We strongly support proposals for increas- ing the number of camel racing tracks to 40 from 30 now to accommodate increases in the number of participants,” Hemdan said.
Hemdan pointed to the rise in the prices of camels, noting that some camels sell for 2 million Egyptian pounds (about $81,000).
“The number of people attending camel racing festivals is also on the increase,” Hemdan said.
He said that the political leaders in both Egypt and the UAE give special attention to camel racing with the aim of supporting Bedouins, in general.
Abu el-Haggag said el-Tahrir Printing and Publishing House would harness all its capa- bilities to make the festival a success.
“We will do this through an integrated plan for media and marketing sponsorship, one in whose implementation all the house’s publi- cations would participate,” he said.
He said his house shares the same national goals behind the festival, namely supporting heritage sports and Arab customs and traditions. “These goals are of great importance,” Abu el-Haggag said. “They are a pillar of our press institution’s work as an Egyptian, Arab and national entity that has influence.”
Tawfiq, for his part, expressed joy that el- Tahrir Printing and Publishing House would be the media sponsor of the festival.
He described the house as a ‘bastion’ of national media that has diverse capabilities in the field of publishing.
“It is capable of local and international pro- motion,” the al-Gomhouria newspaper editor-in-chief said.
Discussion about this post