Amman: The 6th International Festival of Jordanian Dates opened today in the Jordanian capital under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Jordanian Minister of Agriculture, Engineer Khaled Al-Hanifat, representing the Festival’s Patron, highlighted the event as a testament to the robust ties between the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. He expressed gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, for his unwavering support of the festival.
According to Emirates News Agency, the festival is an embodiment of the protocol signed in Amman on February 26, 2024, by the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, and the Jordan Dates Association, in collaboration with regional and international organisations. It is organized by the Award’s General Secretariat in conjunction with the
Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture and the Jordan Dates Association.
The minister further elaborated on the historical significance of date palm cultivation in Jordan. He mentioned that evidence points to its ancient roots, with the city of Aqaba being a notable center for date palm cultivation as early as 3,000 BCE. The sector’s appeal to the private sector has been growing, especially due to Jordan’s favorable geographical conditions for cultivating the Medjool variety. Currently, investment in the date palm sector has reached nearly half a billion dollars, creating approximately 10,000 jobs, with around 40% of these positions held by women.
Present at the event were Hamad Abdullah Al Matrooshi, Chargé d’Affaires of the UAE Embassy in Amman, and Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation. The opening ceremony also saw the attendance of international organization representatives, members of diplomatic missions in Jordan, and various
researchers, farm owners, date producers, and companies.
Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid expressed his pride in the festival’s achievements during his speech, acknowledging the enduring cooperation and historical ties between the UAE and Jordan, fostered by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Majesty King Abdullah II.
Eng. Anwar Haddad, Chairman of the Jordan Dates Association, in his address, extended his thanks to the United Arab Emirates and the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, alongside the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, for their successful festival organization. He highlighted the festival’s growth over six years, noting that date palm cultivation now spans 45,000 dunums in the Jordan Valley.
The ceremony featured a documentary on the achievements of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation over seventeen years (2007-2024). The film demonstrated the Award’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Deve
lopment Goals, emphasizing its contributions to food security and sustainable development on national, regional, and international fronts.
The opening ceremony concluded with the recognition of winners from the 6th International Festival of Jordanian Dates.
