Abu Dhabi : The 18th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX 2021) kicked off today, with the participation of 680 companies and brands from 44 countries.
The annual event held under the patronage of HH Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers’ Club (EFC), will run until October 2 in the UAE capital.
Majid Ali Al Mansoori, President of ADIHEX’s Supreme Organising Committee and Secretary-General of the EFC, welcomed the event’s guests from inside and outside the UAE, which includes heads of companies, exhibitors, sponsors, business leaders and visitors worldwide and stressed that the 18th edition is taking place as part of the club’s support for the UAE’s strategy to plan for the next 50 years.
ADIHEX continues to advance its plans and projects in line with its pioneering environmental and heritage role in supporting sustainable hunting, he said.
Al Mansoori thanked UAE President HH Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HH Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and HH Shaikh Hamdan for supporting the international efforts to protect human heritage and promote cooperation between communities and cultures.
He explained that the exhibition has a large audience, as its past editions saw a total of over 1.6 million visitors, including over 110,000 visitors from 120 nationalities in the 2019 edition. That edition was covered by over 600 media professionals in more than 12 languages.
Held under the theme “Sustainability and Heritage… A Reborn Aspiration”, this year’s edition features 319 local exhibitors; as well as, 32 governmental and official entities, and more than 20 local and international falconry clubs, associations and institutions, across 11 sections covering an area of approximately 50,000 square meters, the largest in the event history.
This edition provides new features for visitors and exhibitors that enhance the experience of their attendance and participation by providing them with the opportunity to see the latest innovations of local and international experts and hear their opinions. A special programme for exhibitors has been designed to match the works among them, as well as to provide interesting surprises for the audience.
The live performances arena is the focus of shows that can be seen only at ADIHEX.
They include musical and heritage equestrian shows, horse training workshops, Arabian camel auctions, archery with a bow and arrow on horseback, and workshops on the basics of driving in the land and adventures, as well as an educational journey about the roots of Arabian falconry and its unique characteristics presented by Mohammed bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School.
The exhibition is being held for the first time over seven days, reflecting the increasing public turnout and responding to the aspirations of exhibitors participating in the largest event of its kind in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.
