Bridging the Gulf Episode 8 — MEI Salon Cultural Segment I: The Tradition and Sport of Falconry

Did you know that the Hawk of Quraysh is a symbol featured in numerous emblems, coat of arms and flags of various Arab states? In the recorded history about the Quraysh, a mercantile tribe that inhabited the city of Mecca, claims have been made about the falcon as their clan symbol. Falconry, once at the heart of Arabian desert life, has undergone transformations due to rapid urbanisation in the Gulf. Yet, the bird of prey remains an integral part of Arabian culture. The Middle East Institute, along with the UAE Embassy in Singapore, welcomes the CEO of Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre to share his knowledge about the tradition and sport of falconry.     Speaker: Mr Abdullah Hamdan bin Dalmook, CEO, Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre After majoring in political science and completing his studies in the US, Mr Abdullah Hamdan Bin Dalmook began his career by working for the UAE’s Ministry of Interior. Later he was assigned to manage the heritage and the diving villages in Dubai’s Shindagha area and was appointed as its director in 1997. In 2005, he was appointed as the executive director of the championships office of his highness the crown prince of Dubai. In 2013, his highness the crown prince of Dubai issued a decree to establish the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre and Mr Dalmook was appointed as the chief executive officer of it. In 2017, the center’s organisational body was restructured but Mr Dalmook still remains as its Chief Executive Officer to date. Mr Dalmook is an expert in the UAE’s heritage, with an accreditation granted to him by the council of ministers. He was the chairperson of many committees implementing official festivals and supervising many traditional television programmes belonging to his highness the crown prince of Dubai at the Dubai Media Incorporated.