Dubai - 11, October 2021:  The qualifying round of Fazza Championship for Youlah has concluded on Saturday at Dubai’s Global Village on a high note, with new faces – Emirati youth aged between 14 and 15 years – competing in the annual heritage competition.

More than 700 Yuweels (Youlah performers) from across the UAE auditioned to be shortlisted in the Fazza Championship for Youlah – Al Meydan program 2021-22.

 

Organised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC), the Fazza Championship for Youlah was launched 21 years ago to revive a traditional folk art performance held in the UAE during national celebrations and weddings.

 

Youlah is a UAE heritage sport, which is a traditional performance involving the use of a rifle as a prop, and an integral part of Emirati culture. The competition is just one of the many initiatives undertaken by the HHC to preserve the country’s intangible heritage for future generations to cherish.

 

Professional manner

Rashid Al Khasoouni, HHC’s Director of Championships commented: “The judging panel was amazed to see young Emiratis aged 14 and 15 years perform Youlah in such a professional manner.”

 

“Many of them participated for the first time and never gained experience from performing at previous Fazza Youlah competitions. This pool of talent was driven by self-motivation, and have trained by themselves to develop their individual performance abilities. Most of the talents that we have shortlisted were new faces, only two Yuweels qualified from last season’s participants,” he noted.

Al Khasoouni said: “16 participants qualified, and 4 runner-ups, bringing the total to 20 Youlah performers who are up and ready to battle in Al Meydan Fort to snatch the Fazza Golden Cup for Youlah.”

 

The new Yuweels, will be trained throughout the season by HHC’s Department of Championships, to empower their skills in Youlah, and to learn camel and horse riding, as well as local poetry, rifle shooting and swimming.