Doha, September 06 (QNA) - The State of Qatar has been putting a lot of effort into preserving the heritage of falconry years before UNESCO took note of it in 2010.

One of those continuing efforts is Katara's 2nd International Hunting and Falcons exhibition, which sees 150 companies from Qatar and around the world participate and offer the latest there is in hunting sport in general as well as falconry.

Al Gannas Association, since its establishment in 2008, has been dedicated to falconry by hosting a number of events that promoted the sport. Chairman of Al Gannas Association Ali bin Khatem Al Mehshadi told Qatar News Agency (QNA) said that the State of Qatar's commitment to falconry is an ancient one. He said that the instincts of the earlier generations when hunting remains appropriate in today's practices.

Al Mehshadi said that Al Gannas took it upon itself to preserve that heritage, given that the practice of the sport decreased recently. The association in response organizes a programme that promotes the hobby. He said that the association starts out the season with small competitions around the National Day celebrations, building up towards "Marmi" event, which is the biggest event of the year.

He noted that Al Gannas has a regional and international role in preserving the falconry heritage. It does so by cooperating with various associations in the Arab world and across the globe that has the same goal. The Association also endorses programmes that aim to preserve falcons in their natural habitats, due to the positive ecological impact, particularly Eco-balance.

The Chairman of Al Gannas said that the latest stats show that there are at least 2000 people who compete in the various competitions. He said that the association cooperates with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Katara, Qatar University, and Qatar Museums among others to promote the sport and preserve it as a heritage. (QNA)