EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS - UAE Interact

328 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES YEARBOOK 2006and Autumn Shows; Arab Asia Trade Fair showcasing everything from DIY productsto flora and fauna and the Sharjah World Book Fair. Expocentre Sharjah isbordered by Sharjah’s Al Khalid Lagoon, making it an attractive option for marineevents such as the highly successful Gulf Maritime Exhibition.Also set to significantly increase business is the Dh367 million Sharjah WorldTrade Centre. The 52-storey, 304-metre-high tower is being built on a man-madeisland and will be connected to the Expocentre Sharjah by a bridge. The mainblock will house the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an exhibitionarea, conference halls and other commercial representative offices. The exhibitionhalls will have the capacity to host 7860 people in an exhibition area of up to20,000 square metres.AJMANAjman International Exhibition Centre, occupying an area of 22,000 square metres,is designed to carry out complementary activities to those conducted by theother UAE exhibition centres, further supporting rapid economic developmentin the country and creating facilities for promoting local industries worldwide.RA’S AL-KHAIMAHThe Ra’s al-Khaimah Exhibition Centre (www.rakexpo.co.ae) is a 37,400-squaremetrecomplex located in the Al Nakheel area close to the active business centre.Inaugurated by HH Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi in April 1996, it hasa major exhibition hall of 2100 square metres and 3000 square metres of exteriorspace for local fairs. It has previously hosted an International CommercialExhibition and its calendar for 2005 and 2006 includes the RAK Summer Festival,Back to School Exhibition, Ramadan Festival and a Summer & Holidays Exhibition.FUJAIRAHThe Fujairah Exhibition Centre (FEC) covers 1080 square metres of indoor floorspace, an outdoor display area, exhibition halls, management offices and serviceutilities, and is centrally located between both the International Airport andFujairah Trade Centre on one side and the seaport and Free Zone on the other.A number of internationally important exhibitions have been held at the centresince its establishment, including BUILDEX from 12 to 15 September 2005, theEast Coast’s first exhibition for building equipment, construction and stonecrushers. It also hosts seasonal fairs for the general public.ABU DHABI INTERNATIONAL HUNTING & EQUESTRIANEXHIBITION (ADIHEX)This four-day annual platform for the hunting and equine industries, which wasopened on 12 September 2005 by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, DeputyPrime Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of Emirates