National Geographic Abu Dhabi presents to you, the Paws Trails InternationalWildlife Festival!
The prestigious Emirates Golf Club played host to the first edition of the Paws Trails International Wildlife Festival from the 1st to 3rd of November 2018. We were proud for the event to be held under the patronage of National Geographic Abu Dhabi; this event being a one-of-a-kind to be seen in the Middle East. The festival proved to be an ideal communication platform for wildlife and nature advocates, gathering individuals from in and around the region to come together as a community.
Our distinguished speakers came from in and around the UAE, and some travelled from as far as the United States, Australia, Sweden, Kenya and India. These eminent personalities come from backgrounds in wildlife photography, conservation and science, and it was a delight to bring them to the shores of Dubai to share knowledge in an environment of like minded individuals. To add on to the thrill of the festival, the speakers hail from diverse geographies, such as the poles of the Arctic or the tropics of Africa. It was a pleasure for us to have our speakers on board with us; in which they brought pearls of wisdom, interesting tit-bits and amazing techniques to the eager and discerning public of Dubai.
The event kicked off with a glittering start at the Royal Majlis, on an early Thursday evening with the cool winter breeze to accompany the best golf greens on this side of the world. Inaugurated by Christopher May, CEO of the Emirates Golf Club, our function saw the launch of a Paws Trails coffee table book, ‘The Arabian Trails’; a brilliant compilation of 101 images from around the Arabian Peninsula. Following on from the launch, we were delighted to open our exhibitions to the eager eyes of our VIP guests, ‘The Wild Trails’. Our two photographic exhibitions illustrated breath-taking wildlife photography from both the Middle East and an international setting.
The second and third day of the event saw immense support from our guests that came to attend the captivating talks planned over the course of the two days.
Meet our speakers and their discussion topics:
• Jainy Kuriakose with her beautiful presentation on her journey with bird photography.
• Fredrick Granath and Melissa Schäfer on an eye-opening and simultaneously heartbreaking introduction to the melting poles in the Arctic.
• Gokul Manu, one of our youth photographers, vividly portraying his experience with macro photography.
• Rob Gubiani, originally from Australia and now residing in the UAE, enlightening the public about his conservation tales in the desert.
• Bu-Abdullah, our expert Emirati bird photographer exploring the intricacies of capturing birds in action.
• Dr. Reza Khan, speaking about using photography as a tool for wildlife conservation.
• Shaji Mohammed and his incredible photography expeditions to the ends of the earth, with an insight into astrophotography as well as conservation.
• Dhritiman Mukherjee’s interactive and entertaining session on conservation photography.
• Gurchuran Roopra, on his experience of life in the Kenyan bushes and ethical wildlife photography.
• Dr. Peter Hudson, on an enlightening presentation on the importance of conservation.
• Molly Ferril’s engaging discussion accompanied by a documentary on crushing the illegal ivory trade.
Consistently following each talk, there were thought-provoking Q&A sessions. To add on further, at the end of each day the speakers came together to form a panel discussion, bringing the audience and speakers closer together on the debate for what we can do as a community to promote conservation using photography as a tool.
This brings us to the essence of our event. There is no doubt that the entire team in support of the festival poured their hearts and souls into it – and this was the reason why: to build and enlarge the community of wildlife and nature lovers within the UAE, and hence encouraging them to use photography as a prime instrument in conservation.
The Paws Trails International Wildlife Festival is yet another feather in the sparkling cap of Dubai, and a statement that this metropolis can be much more than the economic capital of the region. The community effort to conceive and put together this event reflected in the interest shown in organizing this event, and is a true reflection of the love that the residents of the UAE have towards nature and our many co-inhabitants. Let us be the voice for the voiceless and put our best foot forward towards a healthier planet!
We would like to thank all the volunteers, speakers and esteemed partners that dedicated their time and effort into making this event a huge success!
Venue Partner: Emirates Golf Club Dubai
TV Partner: Zee TV Middle East
Radio Partner: 106.2 Big FM
AV partner: Matrix
Supported by: Emirates World Wildlife Fund
Destiny Computer Technology LLC
Publishing Partner: The Dream Work Collective
PR Partner: W2W Events
Creative Partners: Be Creative Team
Contributing Partner: Sea Wings Dubai
