ABU DHABI, 4th September, 2026 (WAM) — The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Suwa Falconry Preservation Society (SFPS) at the 23rd Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX 2026), establishing a long-term partnership to help preserve one of Japan’s oldest falconry traditions.
SFPS is the custodian of Suwa-ryū falconry, a lineage dating back to the Tokugawa Shogunate period and now carried into its 18th generation of master falconers.
Under the MoU, EAD will support infrastructure and essential repairs at the society’s 150-year-old training centre, following a joint site assessment conducted in January 2026.
The agreement also establishes an annual cultural exchange, with SFPS hosting young Emirati falconers for training in traditional Japanese falconry, alongside joint workshops, student engagement and research collaboration.
Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of EAD, said, “Supporting Suwa is an investment in shared values of discipline, respect for birds of prey, and the passing of knowledge between generations.”
Noriko Otsuka, President of SFPS and 18th-generation grandmaster of the Suwa school of Japanese falconry, said the partnership would help safeguard the knowledge, birds and practice for future generations while strengthening exchange between the UAE and Japan.
Falconry has long been part of Emirati heritage. The UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, made the protection of falconry and birds of prey a cornerstone of the country’s conservation approach. The UAE later helped lead international efforts that resulted in falconry being inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Abu Dhabi has also supported raptor conservation through initiatives including the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme, which has released more than 2,400 falcons across Central Asia, and research on migratory birds of prey.
The partnership builds on wider cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Japan, including initiatives involving the Emirates Falconers’ Club (EFC), INPEX JODCO and EAD, and supports longer-term efforts to strengthen international recognition of Suwa falconry.
Source: Emirates News Agency
