Sultan bin Ahmed reviews preparations for Sir Bu Nair Festival

emirates7 - H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, was briefed on Thursday on the preparations for the 22nd edition of Sir Bu Nair Festival, this came during a meeting via video call, with the Supreme Committee of the festival.

The meeting was attended by Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, Issa Hilal Al Hazami, Chairman of Sharjah Sports Council, Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, Brigadier Abdullah Mubarak bin Amer, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, and a number of officials Governmental entities.

During the meeting, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed was briefed on the various details and procedures related to preparing for Sir Bu Nair Festival, and the activities will be launched on Wednesday, May 25, over two days, in cooperation with the strategic partners, Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah Government Media Bureau, Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, Sharjah Police General Command, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, Sharjah International Marine Sports Club, Sharjah Heritage Institute, Sharjah Sports Council, and Emirates Marine Environment Group.

The festival will organise a variety of activities over the two days that will include media tours, coral reef farming and fixation operations, sea turtle release, sports activities such as running race, volleyball league, in addition to a fishing competition, an accompanying exhibition, a marine bike show, heritage rowing, and others.

Sir Bu Nair Island is an Emirati island, 110 km north of Sharjah, it is characterised by its sandy beaches, clear waters, and the richness of its surroundings with coral and fish life. Sir Bu Nair Island has been declared a nature reserve by Emiri Decree No. (25) issued by H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

Sir Bu Nair Island has an area of about 13 square kilometres, and the name of the reserve was included in the International Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar), in order to preserve its environmental components rich in biodiversity, and it was also included in the UNESCO preliminary list of World Heritage sites, and its acceptance in a memorandum of understanding on the protection of and management of sea turtles and their habitats in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia.