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DUBAI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) opened Tuesday the first institution in the world to teach original Arab falconry traditions, rules and ethics, UAE state news agency WAM reported.
Majed Ali Al Mansouri, executive director of Emirates Falconers' Club, opened the institution in Al Ain of Abu Dhabi, which he said is a "historic event" and a "proud addition" to the UAE's achievements.
The school seeks to increase awareness of the value of falconry as an art and asset of the common human heritage, said Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the Emirates Falconers' Club.
The project was launched in 2014 to educate future generations about deep-rooted heritage and history of the UAE and the wider Arabian Peninsula.
The inauguration was also marked by welcoming the first batch of students to the new school, which committed to the authentic traditions and rules of Arab falconry and physiognomy.
"The opening of the school, purpose-built according to the world's highest standards and specifications, is part of what the UAE continues to offer to the world. Soon, it will be an educational lighthouse for all types of heritage," Mansouri said.
Theoretical lessons and practical training will be given in the desert, with state-of-the-art educational tools and methods, he said.
Falcon is the heraldic animal of the UAE and several other Arab states.
