Paris parade builds awareness of camel sector’s untapped potential

Paris last month witnessed a camel parade the likes of which it had not seen for almost a century. The streets and tree-lined avenues of the French capital, along with its lush parks, were alive with the colors and sounds of 50 dromedary and Bactrian camels and llamas as they paraded through the streets, much to the delight of the eager onlookers who flocked in their hundreds to see the event.

The parade, which gathered delegations from 30 countries, caught the attention of the top-tier media outlets that were ready on the spot to convey the atmosphere, feelings and feedback of the audience. A long list of big names communicated about the event.

This awareness event, which was aligned with the International Camel Organization’s strategic goal of “cultivating valued partnerships and community engagement,” was intended to celebrate the International Year of Camelids 2024 and to spotlight the challenges facing this remarkable animal and the need to join hands to overcome them. Collective efforts are key in discussing and finding sustainable solutions.

The route of the parade extended over a few kilometers near the historic Chateau de Vincennes, a favorite residence of French kings.

We should all do more to support the camel sector. Doing so means supporting the traditional livelihoods of millions of people globally. And doing it sustainably, too.

Under the umbrella of the International Camel Organization, the event was organized by the French Federation for the Development of Camelids in France and Europe and sponsored by the Saudi Camel Club and the Saudi Ministry of Culture.

As a result of the success and the positive feedback received from key opinion leaders in the sector, the International Camel Organization is intending to repeat the same success story with other camel associations globally and to increasingly advocate for a scaling-up of the camel sector.

The aim of events of this nature is to build awareness of the untapped potential of camels and call for increased investment in the camel sector, advocating for greater research, capacity development and the use of innovative practices and technologies, while at the same time doing more to overcome the current obstacles to their movement from country to country.

We should all do more to support the camel sector. Doing so means supporting the traditional livelihoods of millions of people globally. And doing it sustainably, too.

• Sheikh Fahad bin Falah bin Hathlin is the founder and chairman of the International Camel Organization.