Sealine
Sealine, including the Marmi sabkha, is an area of Qatar that hosts the annual Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival, known as Marmi. The festival is one of the longest running falconry competitions in the Gulf.
The story of Sealine
Published sources describe Sealine mainly through the event it hosts. The Marmi sabkha, a salt flat in the Sealine area of Qatar, is the setting for the Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival.
The festival is organised by the Qatar Al Gannas Association with support from the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund (Daam). Its 16th edition, Marmi 2025, ran into early February 2025, and its 17th edition, Marmi 2026, was scheduled from 1 to 24 January 2026.
The site has therefore been used for a seasonal festival over many years. Detailed records of the area's earlier history were not found in the sources consulted for this page.
Falconry in Sealine
The Marmi festival focuses on falconry and hunting heritage. Qatari press coverage notes that UNESCO lists falconry as intangible cultural heritage, and that the organisers aim to pass the tradition on to children and young people.
The opening competition of the 2025 edition, Hadd Al-Tahaddi, involved 23 groups of falconers, and further contests for falconer groups followed.
The festival is organised by the Qatar Al Gannas Association, a society of Qatari hunters and falconers, and draws Qatari citizens, residents, Gulf visitors and international tourists. Qatar is among the countries on UNESCO's multinational falconry entry.
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- 16th Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival kicks off (The Peninsula)
- Hadd Al-Tahaddi championship opens 17th Marmi 2026 festival (QNA)
- Falconry, a living human heritage (UNESCO)
Facts on this page come from the sources below, checked on the date of writing. Check with the organiser before travelling.