KFU President's Message

 

King Faisal University (KFU) has a great pleasure to invite all date palm stakeholders from industry, private sector, scientists, entrepreneurs, students, growers and consumers from all over the world to attend the International Date Palm Conference 2020 (IDPC2020). The IDPC2020 will include the Sixth Date Palm Symposium (King Faisal University-KFU) and the Third International Symposium on Date Palm (International Society for Horticultural Science-ISHS). The conference will be held at the premises of King Faisal University, Alahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during 16-19 November 2020.

 

The date palm is one of the oldest plants on earth cultivated by humans. It is the most important fruit crop of the arid regions in the world. Over the years, the date palm has convincingly acquired its position as an important crop for food security and environmental sustainability. In fact, the crop had played a crucial role during the recurrent drought spells that occurred at the African Horn in the past few years. In addition, date palm is closely associated with the life and the culture of the Gulf inhabitants. King Faisal University in its pursuance to project the role of agriculture and environment on the socio-economic impact of the region, considered food security and environmental sustainability as its strategic identity in accordance with the Saudi Arabia vision 2030.

 

Alahsa province has been inhabited since prehistoric Neolithic times, due to its abundance of water. It has the largest date palm oasis in the world with about 3 million trees that represent 10.7% of the total tree population in the Kingdom and 75% of the Eastern region. The proximity of Alahsa province from all Gulf countries made it as a key port for regional and international trade and cultural exchange. Alahsa is the first UNSECO listed city in the Gulf in the fields of crafts and folk art. Apart from the first human settlements in the Arabian Peninsula, it also features scenic beaches, natural freshwater springs irrigating the green oasis, and unique urban-style state-of-the-art buildings. Alahsa oasis filled with a number of archaeological sites and were declared as the Cultural Landscape of Alahsa Oasis (the World Heritage sites) such as Eastern Oasis, Northern Oasis, As-Seef, Suq Al-Qaysariyah, Qasr Khuzam, Qasr Sahood, Qasr Ibrahim, Jawatha archaeological site, Jawatha Mosque, Al-'Oyun village, Ain Qannas archaeological site, Al-Asfar lake etc.

 

Therefore, organizing such international conference to share the applied, innovative and multidisciplinary scientific knowledge among scientists and other relating stakeholders is a splendid opportunity and commitment to making genuine and reliable contributions to the date palm sector. This conference will provide a perfect platform for global networking as it brings together renowned speakers and scientists across the globe.

 

I am looking forward to welcoming you at King Faisal University, Alahsa and hope that you will have exciting and memorable events filled with enlightening interactive sessions.

 

Dr. Mohammad Abdulaziz Al-Ohali

President, King Faisal University