The Hand-line Fishing (Haddaq) and Lifah (Pearl-Diving) competitions at the 9th Edition of Senyar Festival started Wednesday at the Sealine area.
Katara - Cultural Village general manager Prof Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti visited the site of the competitions to review the progress of the competitions and ensure that the participants are doing well.
He appreciated the enthusiasm of the participants and the efforts of the organising committee. He explained that the ongoing edition of the festival has five committees, with each tasked with duties such as tracking, safety and security, breakdowns and the requirements of dhows and other issues.
The various entities in the country are highly interested in this festival as it is considered of key importance in reviving the maritime history and attract young Qataris to practice such heritage sport after a break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. For the first time the festival has the sponsorship of two broadcasters: Qatar TV and AlKass TV, indicating the high heritage value of the event, Prof Dr al-Sulaiti added.
Saeed Abdulrahman al-Kuwari, member of the organising committee, said there is considerable participation from Qatar Red Crescent Society and the Coast Guard.
There are 697 participants at the competitions, including 64 from the GCC countries and 61 Qatar residents. A total of 58 teams are taking part in the completions, which are set to conclude Friday by 4pm.
