Sandcastle festival inspires visitors to Corniche

ABU DHABI // Visitors strolling along the Corniche last night were greeted by a massive sand likeness of Sheikh Khalifa, the President of the UAE, along with the message "Kulluna Khalifa" ("We are all Khalifa").

Next to him were sand horses, camels and castles, all entries to the first Emirates International Sand Sculpture Festival.

At the entrance of the venue was a traditional Emirati dhow, moulded by Ahmad Haylooz, the Palestinian artist who organised the competition on behalf of the Emirates Heritage Club. He has been crafting sand sculptures related to Emirati heritage for more than 30 years.

Also on show were works by two Emirati sculptors, including a shark and horse by Shadi al Matroushi, a 30-year-old civil servant. "He said it reminded him of his childhood in Egypt when he used to make sand figures," said Haylooz.

A heart-shaped sand dune bore the letters UAE; next to it stood a traditional Emirati coffee pot made by Mohammad Abdullah, a 55-year-old Emirati who lives in Sharjah.

A fort scene, complete with camels and a well, was crafted by Fouad, a 30-year-old from Lebanon. He added a touch of salt to the fort to give it an "antique" look.

Sultan Saad, a 26-year-old Syrian art teacher from Sharjah, had built an enormous sand castle too - this one based on Al Ain's Al Jahili Fort. The sculptures usually took two to three days to complete.

Thirty-year-old Syrian Ali Mouaala had sculpted a quote from Sheikh Zayed, the Founder of the UAE: "If you give me a plant, I will guarantee you a good future." Next to it, a group of sand people prepared to plant a sand palm tree.

Paul and Remy, from the UK and Holland respectively, completed their mould of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque last night. They were wise to leave their entry to the last minute - some sculptors who had worked further ahead of time have had to conduct running repairs as their masterworks were eroded by the past week's blustery winds. With chemical congealments banned, they were forced to water them at least twice a day.

The sand has all been brought specially from the desert outside Al Ain, with eight lorries carting 300 tonnes of it for the festival. "It's cleaner and softer," explained Haylooz.

Sahar E, an Egyptian art teacher who works for the Abu Dhabi Education Council, said the artists had done "an excellent job".

"It's good that they're concentrating on the UAE's heritage because it will draw children towards it," she said, adding that she hoped to bring her pupils to the festival today.

South African craftsman Andrew John's sand calligraphy read "To the UAE with love" in Afrikaans, English and Arabic. The 43-year-old's second model represented Bu Tinah island, with eagles, flamingos, crabs, fish, palms and jellyfish all made out of sand.

Meena T, a 27-year-old teacher at Abu Dhabi's Khadija Al Kubra primary school for girls, was among yesterday's visitors.

"I think it's important for people to see what the UAE is about, especially the kids," she said.

Children were also encouraged to take part, with 50 participating in sand sculpture workshops every evening.

Adults with special needs joined in, too.

A group from the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs made a camel standing alongside an Emirati fighter, with the help of Nassima Abu al Hassan, a 35-year-old professional sculptor from Lebanon.

cmalek@thenational.ae