Under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the Award’s General Secretariat announced the opening of nominations candidature to its 17^th session 2025, from the 04^th of June 2024 up to the 15^th of December 2024, allowing date palm growers, producers, researchers, academics, date palm tree lovers, from UAE, and from across the world to apply, compete, and win in one of the categories of the International Award, this came in a press conference held by the Award’s General Secretariat on Tuesday, 04^th of June, 2024, at the Emirates Palace hotel, in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, and Dr. Helal Humaid Saed Al Kaabi, member of the Award’s Board of Trustees.

Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, highlighted the fact that the Award's progress chart over the past seventeen years, has been significantly growing, at various levels, thanks to the generous support of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and continuous follow-up of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees, where the great openness to the local, regional and international community resulted in increasing the number of candidates in the various Award’s categories, over the past seventeen years.

Dr. A. Zaid, also stressed on the keenness of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, to enhance the Award’s local and international presence, and continue its journey of successes achieved over the past years, gained because of the appreciation of date palm growers, producers and researchers in the field of date palm and agricultural innovation in the UAE, and across the world. The Award’s Secretary General then indicated that the Award contributed significantly to the increase in the number of participants from the United Arab Emirates in the various categories of the Award, over a period of seventeen years. Consequently, we found a direct growth in the number of winners from the UAE, compared to the number of winners from the rest of the world, which indicates the positive impact the award has on all the concerned entities in the country, and those working in the date palm cultivation, production, manufacturing and marketing sectors, as well as researchers, and influential figures in this field, which contributed to enhancing the competitiveness of Emirati dates. Indeed, the Award has become an important milestone in the process of developing this sector over the years, locally, regionally and internationally.

On the other hand, Dr. Helal Humaid Saed Al Kaabi, member of the Award’s Board of Trustees, announced the statistics and details of the Award’s participants, over the past seventeen years, and which were as follows:

The total number of candidates in the Award’s categories reached 2,012 participants, representing 59 countries from across the world, of whom 102 won, 1,586 Arab participants, of whom 54 won, and 160 participants from the UAE, of whom 30 won. While the number of foreigners participating in the Award reached 265, of whom 18 won. Where 73 distinguished national and international organizations and personalities were honored, including 34 personalities from the UAE.

Where the number of participants in the Distinguished Innovative Studies and Modern Technology category, reached 910 participants, i.e. 45.23%. The number of participants in the Pioneering Development and Productive Projects category, reached 294 participants, i.e. 14.61%. The Distinguished Producers category, reached 102 participants, i.e. 5.07%. While the number of participants in the Pioneering and Sophisticated Innovations Serving the Agricultural Sector category, reached 406 participants, i.e. 20.18%, and the number of participants in the Influential Figure in the Field of Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation category, reached 291 participants, i.e. 14.91%.

The Award’s General Secretariat also announced its complete readiness to receive the electronic applications starting today, up to the 15^th of December 2024. Where the Award’s winners’ names will be announced during the month of January, 2025, and the honoring ceremony will be held during the month of February, 2025, wishing everyone good luck and success.