The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) launched yesterday the 6th edition of Katara’s International Hunting and Falcons Exhibition (S’hail 2022) that will continue until September 10, 2022.
The exhibition has received large attendance and wide participation from 180 local, regional and international companies specialised in hunting rifles, falconry and trip equipment from Qatar and 20 other countries, in addition to the participation of several ministries, authorities and official entities.
European and American companies are also taking part in the exhibition.
Notably, S’hail 2022 is characterised by an increase of 20% in its already expansive area.
S’hail 2022 will remain open from 10am to 10pm till September 10 except for Friday when the exhibition will run from 2pm to 11pm.
Chairperson of the Organising Committee of the 6th edition of S’hail 2022 and General Manager of the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti said in a statement that the current edition of S’hail is a solid indication of the maturity of the vision on which S’hail 2022 is based to further achieve the promising targets in converting S’hail 2022 into a vital global, economic, cultural and heritage forum for those interested in hunting and sniping, adding that the event is also a unique platform through the authentic ancestral heritage in the field of hunting and falconry in an innovative way.
Prof al-Sulaiti pointed out that the efforts exerted in the past editions of S’hail had substantial echoes in the 6th edition, which have evidently underscored the crucial participation of local, regional and international companies, adding that Katara is committed to making the 6th edition exceptional at all levels.
Prof al-Sulaiti underlined that, since its inception as an exceptional cultural project, Katara has vowed to revive the heritage and enrich the local, regional and international cultural scene.
For his part, Vice-Chairperson of the S’hail Organising Committee Mohamed bin Abdul Latif al-Misnad said in his statement to QNA that the exhibition has promoted and consolidated its global posture and remained a destination for those interested in falconry, hunting and heritage from various countries around the globe.
He stressed the organising committee’s keenness to ensure showcasing the best, premium and new items to be offered to the audience, in addition to displaying a large collection of rare falcons of high quality and skill in hunting and sniping.
More than 50% of the companies participating in the 6th edition are from abroad, among them Gulf companies from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE.
Al-Misnad pointed out the distinguished participation from US and EU companies in S’hail 2022.
Secretary and Exhibition Manager of the Organising Committee Abdelaziz al-Bohashem al-Sayed said the S’hail 2022 exhibition is not a space for selling products related to hunting, falcons and supplies and equipment for trips, but rather a cultural and artistic space, through seminars and lectures it organises, and artists who portray the falcons and the life and atmosphere of the hunter through their paintings.
The participation of ministries and official bodies in the sixth edition of S’hail reflects the great interest that these bodies attach to birds and the environment as they are keen to provide quality services to falconers at the exhibition. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is at the forefront of government agencies with remarkable efforts and distinguished services in preserving this ancient cultural heritage, through the issuance of passports for falcons to buyers, and health certificates (CITES) recognised globally, which grants re-export of falcons to travellers outside Qatar, and the ease of movement between countries and through all ports.
S’hail 2022 will host a series of lectures, attended by a group of researchers specialised in heritage and the environment, in addition to poetry evenings.
The exhibition is divided into five areas, the main tent that occupies Hekma Square, where sniper supplies and equipment for hunting trips, traditional industries, and handicrafts associated with hunting are displayed, in addition to the S’hail auction, which includes the rarest types of falcons, and a hall for weapons companies. The third hall is dedicated to bird farms and companies for equipping four-wheel drive cars for land and hunting trips, while the outdoor area displays the most luxurious types of touring caravans used for trips and camps, and the fifth hall, located on the southern side of Katara, is dedicated to receiving hunting weapons, rifles and ammunition.
The Organising Committee of the S’hail 2022 Exhibition is holding a series of competitions including the most beautiful pavilion, and the most beautiful burqa, in addition to a new cooking competition dedicated to hunters, and offering a bouquet of cuisines and the food that is prepared daily from game meat, which is provided by Mughal restaurant to visitors of the exhibition. (QNA)
