ABU DHABI, 13 Sep, 05 (WAM) - Mohamed Al Bowardi, Deputy Chairman- Emirates Falconers' Club today opened a Symposium on "Falconry: a World Heritage" organized by Pro Falcon and the Emirates Falconers' Club.

Al Bowardi, in his speech, said that today's meeting brings together around 30 international experts from local, regional and international organizations that are genuinely associated with the discipline and passion of falconry.

"Having an obligation to dedicate our efforts to the conservation and preservation of falconry, several symposiums on Falconry have already been conducted in Abu Dhabi in the past. Every symposium has resulted in the culmination of more knowledge, a deeper awareness, strong initiatives and an outstanding contribution of expertise from those passionate about falconry.

"However, I believe this year's Symposium will be a unique one.

The participants will be working together as a team, exchanging expertise, ideas and visions on Falconry as a World Tradition.

Our main goal will be to recognize falconry as a world heritage, an issue that has been considered to be of utmost importance.

And today we are all gathered here to accept some responsibility and commit to doing something." As part of the Symposium, a Workshop on Falconry as Intangible Heritage will be conducted on the third day. It will be an interactive session whereby the speakers, participants and experts from UNESCO will work together to produce a framework and then submit a concrete proposal to UNESCO, to list Falconry on the Representative List of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity, thereby recognizing falconry as a world heritage, he said.

"We, the world falconers, would like to welcome Prof. Thomas Cade, Founder of the Peregrine Fund, and take this opportunity to appreciate his contribution and efforts in conservation, and promoting falconry as a positive power in Conservation.

We are also indeed glad to welcome Mr. Gadi G Y Mgomezulu, Director of the Division of Cultural Heritage at UNESCO in Paris and other members from the UNESO offices in Doha. They have offered their expertise on Intangible Cultural Heritage." The Symposium is being held till Sep 15.

Various aspects that would be covered during the Symposium are the documentation of the history of falconry and establishment of a special archive for preserving this great heritage in the world's cultural heritage.

The Symposium will see an active contribution of speakers from UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Paris and Qatar offices.

The first two days will focus on falconry as a great tradition in the Arab's heritage as well as worldwide such as in the Indian Subcontinent, Iran, Japan, China, Turkmenistan, South Africa, Northern Eurasia, and Europe heritage.

On the third day of the Symposium, there will be an interactive session (Workshop) on Falconry as Intangible Heritage, where by the speakers/attendees will exchange expertise, ideas and visions on Falconry as a world tradition, and prepare a concrete report for recognizing falconry as a world heritage.

The main aim of the third day session is to help formulate an action plan for safeguarding, protection and revitalization of falconry tradition.

On this workshop participants will focus on issues related to falconry as a popular tradition, such as history of falconry, worldwide and in the Arab World, especially in UAE. They will also highlight the cultural and social role of falconry, falconry and oral traditions (poetry, proverbs, folktales) Falconry as an art (handicrafts) etc.

The Symposium will conclude with the framing of a concrete report prepared jointly by the speakers, participants and experts from UNESCO, to be submitted to UNESCO to list Falconry on the Representative List of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity thereby recognizing falconry as a world heritage.