The Port Said International Bird Watching and Photography Festival is Returning for a Second Edition Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons Port Said, a city at the crossroads of worldwide trade, connecting paths in between East and West, is likewise an essential stop for birds moving towards Africa. Found 167 kilometers northeast of Cairo, Port Said extends along the Mediterranean coast and borders Lake Manzala to the south. The Port Said International Bird Watching and Photography Festival is set to return for its 2nd edition from 29 November to 5 December, accompanying the arrival of migratory birds looking for sanctuary throughout the winter. After long, difficult migration journeys, waterfowl, waders, flamingos, and many other types rest in Egyptian wetlands before moving to the rest of Africa. The celebration is marked as the very first occasion of its kind, not just in Egypt however likewise in the Middle East. Organizers are extending an open invite to nature and wildlife lovers, in addition to amateur and expert photographers, to an opportunity to record peeks of the charm of Egypt’s abundant biodiversity. “The celebration is a cooperation in between the Port Said Governorate, the Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Activation, Ashtum Al Gamil Natural Reserve, and 2 NGOs: Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) and the Wildlife Photography in Egypt Association. I belong to the latter 2 associations,” Ahmed Waheed, among the celebration’s primary organizers, informs Egyptian Streets. Waheed discussed that the celebration’s origin can be traced back to a group of enthusiastic professional photographers who dealt with obstacles throughout their bird photography explorations in Port Said, mainly due to the distance of bird-rich locations to security zones. The principle took shape after a conference in between among the professional photographers, Alaa Morsy, and Mohamed Abu Diaa from the Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Activation. Both acknowledged Port Said as an untapped treasure and proposed arranging a bird celebration to the guv of Port Said, Adel Al Ghadban, who invited the concept. In 2015, the celebration effectively held its inaugural edition, including occasions, workshops, bird-watching trips, and photography. This year, the organizers have actually gotten the thumbs-up from Al Ghadban to broaden their efforts. “The celebration would not just bring in visitors thinking about bird photography however likewise engage them in awareness projects promoting domestic tourist. The hope is to broaden to worldwide tourist in the future,” he states. The celebration’s prepare for this year include a broad variety of activities. Especially, it will include an open street exhibit showcasing bird photos and helpful material about numerous bird types– a very first for Egypt. Furthermore, the organizers intend to include differently-abled people in birdwatching and photography journeys. Possible partnerships with universities in Port Said are being thought about to supply indication language interpreters for workshops, making sure that guests with handicaps can take part in birdwatching and photography trips. “Their images might possibly be consisted of at the yearly exhibit of the Wildlife Photography in Egypt Association, which is held every January,” Waheed states. The celebration will likewise include workshops concentrating on the significance of birds, their migration patterns, and the ethical elements of bird-watching and photography. These concepts are presently in the advancement phase, with logistics being fine-tuned. In addition to the celebration, Waheed and his group are dealing with a documentary highlighting Port Said’s significance as a stopover for bird migration and a center for business shipping. Both elements are “carefully linked” and important to Port Said’s income and culture. “Visitors can witness the arrival of different bird types from Eastern Europe and Western Asia. These migratory birds normally travel through North Sinai and settle along the Mediterranean coast. They look for resting locations in wetlands and are especially drawn in to locations like the Zaranik Protected Area in North Sinai, acting as their main stopover,” Waheed discusses. “They go through the Port Fouad waterway, which lies near Zaranik, at a range of around 150 kilometers. This location is important in supplying a resting location for flamingos, which go to in varieties each year,” he includes. Another crucial area is the conference point of the Suez Canal with the Mediterranean Sea, identified by its distinct ecological conditions, consisting of variations in water temperature levels and the motions of ships, which add to the existence of various bird types. At the heart of the migration path is the Ashtum Al Gamil Reserve, which lies around 7 kilometers west of Port Said along the Mediterranean seaside roadway. A designated Important Bird Area (IBA), the protectorate boasts an abundant variety of bird types. Lake Manzala, in specific. is home to over 200 types of birds, both resident and migratory. The area has actually seen over 500,000 bird sightings, consisting of flamingos, pelicans, wading birds, egrets, starlings, quails, and gulls. The organizers are likewise going over with the governorate the possibility of offering lodging to guests taking a trip to Egypt for the celebration. “The celebration stays completely totally free of charge, welcoming all those thinking about going to the occasion, exhibits, and associated activities throughout the given duration in Port Said to delight in the experience,” Waheed states. Register for our newsletter
The Port Said International Bird Watching and Photography Festival is Returning for a Second Edition
