Dignitaries, foreign visitors throng Marmi Festival

Tribune News Network Doha Head of the Private Amiri Diwan Khalid bin Shaheen bin Ghanem Al Ghanim on Saturday visited the site of the 13th Qatar Internati...

Tribune News NetworkDohaHead of the Private Amiri Diwan Khalid bin Shaheen bin Ghanem Al Ghanim on Saturday visited the site of the 13th Qatar International Falconry and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2022), which is being held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani in Sabkhat Marmi Basil. The festival, organised by the Al-Qannas Association, will run until January 29.Ali bin Khatam Al Mahshadi, chairman of the Organising Committee of the Marmi International Festival and the president of the Al-Qannas Association; and his deputy Muhammad bin Abdullatif Al Misnad, gave Ghanim explanations about the festival and accompanied him on a tour around the festival site.The head of the Private Amiri Diwan watched from the main stage of the festival some of the day’s competitions in the Hadad Challenge Championship.His visit coincided with the holding of the 12th group competitions for the Hadad Challenge Championship.On Saturday, eight falconers managed to win and qualify for the final of the championship in order to compete for the grand prize, which is a Lexus car and another QR100,000.The winners in the Hadad Challenge Championship on Saturday were: Abdullah Nasser Al Qahtani, Muhammad Saleh Al Nabit, Muhammad bin Othman Al Qahtani, Turki Nasser Al Maadeed, Al Qimma Team, Hajris Muqrin Al Dossary, Hamad Jaber Al Mankhas and Saif Saad Al Hajri.Commenting on the qualifiers for the twelfth group, Ali bin Sultan Al Hamidi, head of the Challenge Committee, said: “The people of Al-Shawaheen this year recorded unparalleled success in the history of the festival with a large audience of citizens and residents who attended to enjoy the atmosphere of the festival. Falconer Abdullah Nasser Al Qahtani, the first winner and qualifier of the evening, said that he is participating with his falcon for the first time.“I thank the organising committee of the Marmi Festival and wished the same joy that I feel for my participating brothers,” he said. Qahtani thanked God for this success and pray that their effort will not be in vain, promising to perform better in the final.The winners also dedicated their victory to their counterpart falconers, expressing their thanks and gratitude to the organising committee and the Qatari Al-Qannas Association for their efforts to preserve the falconry heritage and support falconers.Falconer Hamad Jaber Al Mankhas said, “Praise be to God who has enabled us to hunt, and this is not strange to us, as in every festival we have a mark on it.”A participant from the United Arab Emirates said, “This is the first time I participate in this festival, which is second to none. As long as this festival is being held in Qatar, we will participate in it, God willing, every year, whether with a falcon or ten.”Another participant, Basem Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khater said, “The festival is good and everyone is enjoying the event.”He explained that though they equipped the falcons in the best way, we believe that success is from God Almighty.Adel Al Azmi, an analyst in the Anah Marmi programme, which is broadcast every evening of the Marmi Festival through Al-Kas channels, said: “The atmosphere is wonderful at the festival site. We thank the organising committes, headed by Ali bin Khatam Al Mahshadi.”Saudi falconer Sultan Al Mawash, a member of the Falcon Auctions Committee at the King Abdulaziz Festival, who came to the site of the festival, praised the way the events were organised, describing it as an honorable festival.Among the foreign visitors, Cecil from France, who was accompanied by her husband and children, said: “We came to the Marmi Festival in order to learn and explore the world of falconry, and we are excited to see falcons flying and hunting pigeons. We are happy with the warm reception since we entered through the main gate.” Another visitor, Laurent, accompanied by his wife and children, said he came to the festival in order to see falcons in action, praising the warm reception and hospitality at the festival site.He said, “Through the festival, we can explore an aspect of the authentic Qatari culture and heritage closely. Although, we hear that in France falcons are used to secure the airspace of airports from birds in the interest of flight safety, we hear that and have not seen it with our own eyes, and the Marmi Festival is an opportunity to see the falcons hunting.”