Doha, December 13 (QNA) - The Qatari Society of Al Gannas (QSA) has announced the opening of registration for the championships of the 17th Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2026), scheduled to take place from Dec. 21 to 23, 2025, at the QSA's premises at Katara Cultural Village.

Director of Championships at QSA and President of the Marmi Festival, Metab Al Qahtani, said that registration for the Promising Falconer Championship will be conducted at the festival venue in Sabkhat Marmi in Sealine.

He explained that the date for the participation of promising falconers will be determined after finalizing the total number of registrants across all festival competitions and conducting the draw for contestants in all championships.

Al Qahtani stressed that the organizing committee is enjoined to ensure the participation of the largest possible number of young falconers and has accorded them valuable prizes, reflecting the committee's commitment to empowering young people and broadening engagement.

The Festival has been considered one of the most preeminent QSA-organized events since the onset of UNESCO's accord, in November 2010, to inscribe falconry on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

This comes as part of inculcating and safeguarding the cultural and emotional values of this inherited sport, passed down from fathers and forebears, and underscores its deep-rooted significance in Arabic literature and Arab folk heritage, particularly within the Gulf and Qatari context.

The festival is held annually under the patronage of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, featuring numerous tournaments and contests, most notably Al Tal'a, which specializes in falcon hunting of houbara bustards; Al Da'wa, a high-speed falcon racing competition across several categories; Haddad Challenge, which pits falcons against homing pigeons; the Saluki Haddad Championship; as well as the Promising Falconer Championship, in addition to other contests that the public has come to eagerly anticipate each year.

The Organizing Committee of the Festival had opened the early registration for the Haddad Challenge Championship at the QSA's premises from Nov. 17 to 19. (QNA)