Geneva: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has inaugurated the Saudi Exhibition at the International Year of Camelids (IYC) 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Kingdom emphasized the significance of camels in promoting economic development, contributing to food security, and achieving sustainable development goals for livestock, all in line with the adoption of several initiatives to support the camel sector, which represents a cultural heritage and a long-standing tradition.
This announcement came during the opening ceremony of IYC 2024 in Geneva today, held in partnership with the State of Bolivia at the United Nations Palace in the Swiss city from June 25 to 28. Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries and Livestock Wealth Dr. Ali Al-Shaikhi inaugurated the event.
The Kingdom’s participation stems from its presidency of the International Year of Camels 2024 in partnership with the Group of Latin American and the Caribbean (GRULAC), represented by Bolivia.
At least 13 government
and private entities are participating in the Saudi exhibition, showcasing the most important locally manufactured camel conversion products and their significance in achieving food security. The exhibition also includes leather, medical, and cosmetic products derived from camels. It seeks to embody the great cultural value of camels in Saudi society.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken important steps to develop the camel sector, including raising public awareness about the importance of camels and their role in providing food and livelihood for their owners and breeders, encouraging increased productivity, combating diseases and epidemics that afflict them, vaccinating them periodically, and improving the marketing of camel products to raise the income of breeders and thus maximize and raise their living standards.
The Kingdom aims to cooperate and contribute with international organizations in developing and updating everything related to the systems and laws governing camel activities. The Kingdom als
o is launching a cultural and educational grant named “Camel Studies Grant” to encourage scientific research and authorship and support studies, authors, and translators.
The Geneva event was attended by United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council Vice President Mayra Mariela Macdonal Alvarez, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director General Qu Dongyu, Saudi Ambassador to Switzerland Dr. Adel Merdad, and several ministers, ambassadors, and senior officials representing about 100 UN member states.
Source: Saudi Press Agency