Under the title “Hawamir Fregna”, the first family heritage festival was held to encourage children in entrepreneurship and trade, and was organized by Emirati fashion designer Mona Al Mansouri, coinciding with the “Year of the Family”, at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Abu Dhabi, and its activities concluded yesterday.
The festival witnessed many events, which extended over three days, the most prominent of which was the “The Grouper Trader” exhibition, which bore the slogan “The Little Trader of Today…The Grouper of Tomorrow,” in which about 43 small merchants participated with their various products. The program also included a falconry show with the participation of the young falconers: Rashid Al Kindi, Saeed and Hamdan Al Ameri, and Naima Al Ameri, and a show by the equestrians Hamad and Salama Al Mazrouei, in addition to various workshops and competitions.
On the sidelines of the festival, a group of traditional songs for children, written by Mona Al Mansouri, were presented during the activities.
Fashion shows were distributed over the days of the festival, which was inaugurated by Sheikh Khalifa bin Dhiyab bin Saif Al Nahyan, and the launch witnessed a casual fashion show by the two young designers, Saleh and Abdullah Al-Taniji (nine and 11 years old), followed by a show by Mona Al-Mansouri in which she presented about 23 designs. As she used to combine elegance and awareness in her shows, her designs carried an indirect message to mothers of the necessity and importance of paying attention to their children’s food, and paying attention to healthy meals. Especially vegetables and fruits, to protect them from contemporary diseases, as young models appeared wearing designs inspired by various fruits, which won the admiration and interaction of the audience.
The fashion shows on the first day were preceded by a short video about the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, and his love for the sport of falconry. A short video was also shown about the first international children’s fashion week in the Arab world, which was organized by Mona Al Mansouri last January in Abu Dhabi with wide international participation. The second day included a fashion show for families with their pets, while Mona Al Mansouri concluded the shows on the third day with a fashion show for children.
Social responsibility
Mona Al Mansouri explained that the idea of organizing a family heritage festival is inspired by the UAE’s declaration of 2026 as the “Year of the Family,” and is in line with the vision of the wise leadership to care for and support childhood and new generations, adding: “I felt that celebrating the family and its year is a societal responsibility in which we must all participate, with the aim of strengthening family cohesion and national belonging at the same time, and from here came the idea of the (Hawamir Farijna) festival, which celebrates the Emirati family and provides the opportunity for parents to participate with… She added that the festival was not limited to strengthening family relationships, but also focused on encouraging the next generation of young entrepreneurs, supporting their talents and presenting them in a way that is capable of competing in the market and achieving success. She pointed out that choosing the title of the event (Hawamir Fregna) instead of using the name (The Little Trader) carries a message to them that they are capable of success.
She continued: “The word ‘hamour’ refers to the great merchant in the market, and by choosing the name of the festival I wanted to say to every creative child: ‘You are Hamour’, meaning you are great in your ambition, and we trust you and support you strongly.”
Interest in heritage
Mona Al Mansouri noted that the participation of falconers and young riders in the festival allows children to learn about their experiences up close, encourages them to practice this traditional sport, and stresses the necessity of adhering to heritage and authenticity, while the fashion show for families with their pets represents an initiative that reflects the state’s directives to preserve the rights of pets, and laws have been enacted to register and protect them. She stated that the festival witnesses her second cooperation with the “Make a Wish” Foundation, with the aim of supporting children who suffer from incurable or dangerous diseases, as the Foundation nominated the Emirati girl. (Maitha), a cancer fighter, to participate in the festival, highlight her talent in nail decoration, and realize her dream of becoming an artist in this field. (Maitha) was honored during the festival for her excellence.
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The designer, Mona Al Mansouri, thanked Sheikha Al Yazia bint Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan for her constant support of the special events she organizes for children, through her keenness to have her children participate in various events, occasions and activities for children. She also honored the participating children from falconry, horsemen, child fashion designers, and a number of entities in the country.
43 small merchants participated with their various innovations in the “Festival”.
