His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, flew around 700 delegates from 77 countries, all expenses paid, for the 3rd International Festival of Falconry (so that's where the money for our raises went). It was an amazing display of nationalities all dressed in the traditional costumes of their country from the Americas to New Zealand. 
A few hundred birds of prey (including hawks, owls and eagles) were loaned out to the various countries so they wouldn't have to fly their own birds overseas.
In 1976, the First International Falconry Conference was inaugurated by the late S
heikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God bless his soul, in order to preserve falconry as an important element of the UAE national heritage which draws people's interest and care.The first two modern falconry festivals were held in 2007 and 2009 at Englehard Estate in North Reading, UK. In November 2010, UNESCO added falconry to it's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, and in 2011 the
festival was brought here to Al Ain. According to the International Association of Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey: Since before the time of the pyramids, over 4000 years, falconry as a hunting method has retained an unbroken thread of tradition. Fathers have been passing down skills to their children for nearly 200 generations in a chain of intangible heritage, bringing this art to us, the 21st century.
The submission to UNESCO was made by Abu Dhabi on behalf of the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain and the Syrian Arab Republic. It is expected that Austria, Hungary, Croatia and Slovakia will be added shortly.
Al Jahili Fort with a small steppe village in the foreground.
A guy from Qatar busting out a dance.
Men from the UAE on their horses preparing for the parade.
An American tee pee. I heard there was an awkward moment when , after the parade of nations, a huge group of Afghans were chanting "Afghanistan" stopped in front of the American tent and chanted even louder before moving on. I also thought it was strange during the parade when America was announced as "North America" although Canada and Mexico were announced separately.
An American Bald Eagle, our national emblem.
Owl
A Saluki; the traditional falconry dog.
Someone asked, "Is that a falcon?"
His Highness Sheikh Nayhan bin Mubarak Al Nayhan (the guy on the left with the gray beard) the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research along with his crew and his pilot (he flew in on a helicopter). 
Delegates from Germany on the left, New Zealand on the right.
South Korea on the left.
Malta and Romania
Italia!
I was trying to get a shot of the Americans and noticed the Pakistani guys posing for me.
During the parade the announcer yelled, "Arriba! Arriba! When he announced Mexico and yodeled for Austria. I think was getting drunk!
Colorful Peru
Japan and their weird shoes.Lining up for the parade of nations. That cracking sound is the Hungarian whip master. *see video at the bottom of this post.
A peek at the parade of nations.
Traditional Emirati singing and dancing.Enjoying the music.
More dancing.
The hood on the falcon's head is actually called a "burka" which is Arabic for "cover."
Ireland's Seamus O'Byrne's painting that won first place!
Hungarian whip master.
Love it :)
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