Women display traditional weaving skills.

The 19th annual Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX 2022, Sept. 26 – Oct. 2) organised by Emirates Falconers’ Club and held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) with the theme ‘Sustainability and Heritage ... A Reborn Aspiration’, was a place where painters and artists — besides others from other disciplines — held their own. The artworks, reflecting the theme, were hosted under two heads, namely, painting and photography and arts and crafts. Paintings, sculptures, photography and decorations and handicrafts, made the bulk of the offerings. The works represented a wide range of artistic styles and ideas such as realism, abstraction and modernism. 

There were interactive events also and several participants made their own charm bracelets during Azza Al Qubaisi’s “Create your charm bracelet” session.The first day of the workshops was conducted by Mohamed Al Asad, a well-known artist in the UAE, who lectured on how to draw directly from reality.  Khristo Olena, a collage artist from Ukraine who uses the double exposure technique, was eager to participate in ADIHEX for the first time; she was excited about her participation. Shantha al Namat and Kholoud Al Dasooqi, Art Directors representing Mais Interior Design, UAE, were present. Moza Alham, art instructor located in Al Ain, has been displaying her work since 2014 at ADIHEX, and has sold many pieces.

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Spanish sculptor Relano, who was exhibiting for the first time, was thrilled to meet visitors from the United Arab Emirates. The Arts and Crafts section highlighted the aesthetics of UAE’s cultural heritage. Majid Ali Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of ADIHEX and Secretary General of the Emirates Falconers’ Club, emphasised that ADIHEX is not only an international forum for the manufacturers of the hunting equipment and weapons but is also a platform that hosts craftsmen who embody history and heritage and the authentic customs and traditions of the UAE, to ensure the sustainability and promotion of traditional handicrafts.

Abdullah Al Ahmed, an Emirati knife maker, exhibited his “Oryx Custom Knives”. The handmade knives take a maximum of three weeks to make, and the logo for the knife was patterned after the Arabia Oryx, a supremely important representation of the UAE’s natural and cultural heritage.

Have boat, will sail. A craftsman builds the model of a traditional sailing boat.

Women constituted a large segment of artists participating in ADIHEX. From Fujairah Fine Arts Academy (FFAA), Fatima Alamiri delivered a workshop on “Thread Drawing”. Fatima Al-Dhanhani presented a workshop on Arabic calligraphy, while Sally Al Azzawi hosted one on the “Basics of Decoration and Illumination”. Shurooq Azzam spoke on “Pottery Formation”. 

At the Emirates Heritage Club pavilion, you could explore many interesting cultural programmes, including attending lectures, marine workshops, traditional crafts, traditional cuisine and also get an opportunity to get up close and personal with falcons that could cost up to million apiece. Live performances were held with shows of birds of prey, Saluki, police dogs, horses, camels and other animals, during the seven-day adventure. 

The Live Performances Arena had the Arabian Saluki Beauty Contest, horse and falcon auctions and camel races, in addition to Arabian Horse Beauty Contests. They were presented by the Emirates Arabian Horse Association (EAHA).

The Dhabian Equestrian Club presented a horse and pony riding event for visitors and in cooperation with the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHOPD), the Club made presentations by professionals about the benefits of Equine-assisted therapy (EAT) for people of determination, who ail from physical or mental illnesses.

For the first time, the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Center (ADCRC), which is the first such centre dedicated to teaching camel riding in the region, presented camel racing and camel-riding archery. The Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club presented an educational polo show and the Emirates Heritage Club (EHC) offered ADIHEX visitors the opportunity to experience camel riding, in order to let them enjoy discovering some of the features of former life in the UAE.

Amna Al Jasmi, an Emirati female horse rider, was a prominent participant in the live performances arena. In cooperation with Kaber Stables team, she presented horseback archery, as well as the art of horseback riding and fencing (Modern Pentathlon) at ADIHEX.

Japanese falconers and samurai swordsmiths took part in ADIHEX to celebrate 50 years of friendship between the UAE and Japan.  JODCO INPEX Group presented activities that reflected Japanese culture, including falconry shows, traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, falconry equipment making, artworks depicting Japanese and Emirati heritage, as well as musical and art performances. Samurai swordsmiths also took part. The Japanese community in the UAE numbers more than 5,000 members.

At “Desert Survival Skills”, well-known expert Mahdi Al-Amin offered a set of tips and instructions to anyone who dreams of heading off on a safari trip and wants to experience the desert desert and off-road and wildlife adventures. A major international conference titled ‘The significance of indigenous people and local communities in linking Intangible Cultural Heritage and Wildlife Conservation’ was also organised. 24 young falconers representing 24 countries participated in it. 

ADIHEX saw active Saudi participation, with three key nature reserves from the KSA participating for the first time. They included the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Natural Reserve; the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority (KARNR) and the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve (ITBA). ADIHEX 2022 saw the participation of more than 900 exhibitors and brands from 58 countries, in an area of more than 60,000 square metres.