UAE shine at photography competition

The Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee - Abu Dhabi have announced the results of the photography competition that was organised via Instagram in conjunction with the recent Liwa Date Festival.
Hoping to strengthen the bonds between generations and safeguard the heritage of ancestors, the photography competition seeks to generate a creative image of Liwa, its natural beauty and the connection that exists between man and the city. The competition also contributed to the documentation of heritage activities that reflect a true image of the Bedouin life in the U.A.E., as well as the documentation of deep-rooted Emirati heritage and authentic culture.
All top prizes went to Emirati photographers: Bakhit Al Khalifa Sultan Al Mansouri (first place), Shamma Al Mansouri (second place), Ahmed Abdullah Salem Al Dhuhuri (third place), Naima Mohammed Saleh Al Shamsi (fourth place) , and Thamer Ahmed Mubarak Al Mehairbi (fifth place).
The competition, which was open for nationals and residents, comprised several themes, including "Aspects of Life in Liwa", "Nature in Liwa (Dunes, Oases, Palm Trees)", "Heritage Sites in Liwa" and "Liwa Date Festival (Market, Heritage, Handicrafts, Al Ratab (half-ripe dates), )".
The winning possibilities depended on the recommendations of the public via Instagram as the top positions went to the photos that got the biggest number of 'likes'.
Organised by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee – Abu Dhabi, the 10th edition of the Liwa Date Festival was held from the 12th until the 18th of July in Liwa city in Al Gharbia in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The Festival is annually organised under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
In June of this year, the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee launched a set of interactive online platforms, including a website, and accounts of the Committee on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Director of Project Management for the Committee, said, "The launch of these platforms comes from a belief in the growing importance of digital communication. Online platforms have managed to occupy a leading position as means of direct communication and instant interaction with the public." He also noted the significance of the photography competition via Instagram as a key contribution to the promotion and encouragement of photographers, saying, "The competition works toward attracting and supporting enthusiasts to take part in the various efforts made to promote the Emirati heritage.
"In view of the large turnout and out of a belief in the significance of digital communication, the Committee is planning to launch other similar competitions during the various upcoming festivals," Qubaisi said, concluding, "The Committee is working to prepare this strategy in line with its approach to reinforce national identity, loyalty, and sense of belonging. Eventually, we hope to build an integrated website that serves as an online portal for interaction with the public. On account of this strategy, we will also develop all the websites about the programmes and projects of the Authority, at the level of form and content and in line with the recent trends in digital communication."
Source: WAM