Geneva,
The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Geneva, in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Bolivia and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and in collaboration with the UN Office in Geneva, organized the exhibition “Camel Parade: Heroes of Deserts and Highlands, Nourishing People and Culture” today. The exhibition aims to highlight the economic, social, and cultural importance of camels and their contributions to food security, nutrition, economic growth, and cultural heritage in over 90 countries.
The Kingdom organized this four-day exhibition as part of its presidency of the International Year of Camelids (IYC) 2024, in partnership with the Group of Latin American and Caribbean (GRULAC), represented by Bolivia. The Saudi section of the exhibition highlights prominent locally manufactured camel products and their importance in achieving food security in the Kingdom, as well as showcasing the numerous medical benefits of these products.
The Kingdom’s delegation to this exhibition is headed by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture’s Undersecretary for Fisheries and Livestock Wealth, Dr. Ali Al-Shaikhi, with membership from several officials from ministries that are part of the Steering Committee for the IYC 2024. More than 13 government entities and private sector companies participated in the exhibition to highlight their efforts in developing the camel sector and to showcase food, medical, and cosmetic products derived from camels, reflecting their significant cultural and social value in Saudi society.
In his opening speech, Al-Shaikhi stressed the importance of camels in promoting economic development, contributing to food security, and achieving sustainable development goals for livestock. He highlighted the Kingdom’s support for the camel sector, noting that Saudi Arabia has contributed $844,342 to support the IYC 2024 and has adopted several local and international initiatives to support the camel sector as a cultural and heritage asset.
The opening ceremony featured keynote speeches from prominent speakers, including FAO Deputy Director General Maria Helena, Director of the UN Library and Archives and Head of Cultural Activities at the UN Office in Geneva Francesco Pisano, and Permanent Representative of Bolivia in Geneva Ambassador Maira Mariela Macdonal Alvarez. The opening session aimed to provide concrete insights into the importance of camels and set the stage for the exhibition. The ceremony also included youth participation from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Kingdom and FAO in Geneva, along with several ambassadors, representatives of state missions, participating UN organizations, interested parties, and civil society.
The Kingdom has made significant strides in developing the camel sector locally and internationally, raising community awareness about the importance of camels and their role in providing food and livelihoods for their owners and breeders, encouraging increased productivity, combating diseases and epidemics that affect camels, regularly vaccinating them, and improving the marketing of camel products to raise breeders’ incomes and enhance their living standards. The Kingdom has also cooperated with international bodies to develop and update all regulations and laws related to camel activities and launched a cultural and educational grant called the “Camel Studies Grant” to encourage scientific research and authorship, and support studies, authors, and translators.
–SPA
