Bidding Begins Friday at International Falcon Breeders Auction in Saudi Arabia

The event, running from August 5 to 24, features over 35 elite falcon production farms from 16 countries showcasing their prized birds for sale. (SPA)
The event, running from August 5 to 24, features over 35 elite falcon production farms from 16 countries showcasing their prized birds for sale. (SPA)
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Bidding Begins Friday at International Falcon Breeders Auction in Saudi Arabia

The event, running from August 5 to 24, features over 35 elite falcon production farms from 16 countries showcasing their prized birds for sale. (SPA)
The event, running from August 5 to 24, features over 35 elite falcon production farms from 16 countries showcasing their prized birds for sale. (SPA)

The first auction night of this year's International Falcon Breeders Auction event starts on Friday night at the Saudi Falcons Club headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh.

The event, running from August 5 to 24, features over 35 elite falcon production farms from 16 countries showcasing their prized birds for sale.

Twelve auction nights will be held throughout the event. Competitions are streamed live on TV channels and the club's social media platforms. The club will announce the falcons on offer before each auction night.

The event provides a valuable networking opportunity for falconers and breeders from around the world. It aligns with the Saudi Falcons Club's commitment to preserving falconry heritage and promoting the Kingdom as a global center for the sport.



Bodour Al Qasimi Becomes 1st Woman from the Gulf to Win BolognaRagazzi Award

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi received the prize for her groundbreaking children's book ‘House of Wisdom’ (WAM)
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi received the prize for her groundbreaking children's book ‘House of Wisdom’ (WAM)
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Bodour Al Qasimi Becomes 1st Woman from the Gulf to Win BolognaRagazzi Award

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi received the prize for her groundbreaking children's book ‘House of Wisdom’ (WAM)
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi received the prize for her groundbreaking children's book ‘House of Wisdom’ (WAM)

Emirati publisher, author, and women’s advocate Bodour Al Qasimi has made history by becoming the first woman from an Arab Gulf state to receive a prestigious BolognaRagazzi Award for Fiction, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Thursday.

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi received the prize for her groundbreaking children's book ‘House of Wisdom’ at a ceremony in the impressive Farnese Chapel, at Palazzo d'Accursio, in Bologna, WAM said.

Reflecting on the honor, Sheikha Bodour said, “For me, this award signals a shift towards a more inclusive children's publishing sector. Amid heightened global tensions, stories like ‘House of Wisdom’ carry a message that books can occasion unity, progress, and a deeper understanding between cultures. It’s a timely statement about literature’s power to build bridges and keep the bigger human picture in view.”

“The House of Wisdom was a library that symbolized how knowledge and collaboration across cultures can build sturdy bridges. Its loss in 1258 is a tragic allegory for the fragility of intellectual freedom – a lesson of undiminished relevance today,” she added.

Feted for its engaging approach to encouraging critical thought, scientific curiosity, and compassion, the success of ‘House of Wisdom’ marks progress in international recognition of the value of Middle Eastern children's literature.

The book is illustrated by Majid Zakeri Younesi, whose evocative art provides a breathtaking complement to the story.