28 September 2019
At The Library Of Congress - Thomas Jefferson Building – Washington DC, H.E : Bahrain is a success story with regard to culture infrastructure investment
President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities, in continuation of her efforts to enhance cultural and historical achievements of the Kingdom of Bahrain, gave a lecture presented by the Library of Congress, Washington DC, the biggest library in the world. The event was organized in cooperation with the embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States and African and Middle Eastern Division, to introduce the cultural strategy in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the challenges of building a sustainable cultural infrastructure and promoting cultural tourism. The event was attended by H.E Shaikh Abdullah Bin Rashid Al Khalifa Bahrain Ambassador to the United States, a number of culture personalities and media figures.
Dr. Eugene Flanagan, Director of the General and International Collections, welcomed H.E Shaikha Mai and Dr. Mohannad Salhi, Arab World Specialist at Library of Congress, started the lecture.
During her speech, H.E. Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa said: “ Nobody denies the importance of investing in sustainable cultural industry today; culture is a driving force and an efficient tool to trigger and enhance urban development, creating job opportunities and attracting investors and visitors”. H.E argued that culture sheds lights on alternative resources and works as a guarantee for social development. Baca’s President added saying “ The biggest cities tend today to concentrate on new methods and tools to boost infrastructures that lead to the emergence of a cultural tourism industry”. H.E also said that Bahrain has been witnessing a real renaissance for the last decade because it invested in its cultural infrastructure, preserved its cultural heritage dating back to the Dilumn era, the most significant civilization in the Arab Gulf region. Indeed, Bahrain prospered during ancient times and was also the center of pearling trade in the 1930s, after which the Kingdom of Bahrain entered a new era of social, cultural and economic changes with the discovery of oil. Bahrain was a pioneer in the Arab Gulf region also with regard to the cultural infrastructure projects, reflected in setting up the first institutionalized education system in 1899, the inauguration of the first school in 1919, the first literary club in 1920 and the official inauguration of the first museum in 1988.
Speaking about the flourishing cultural sector in Bahrain, H.E said “ Culture has developed in Bahrain along the years to become a way of life a rainbow of colors living organism”, pointing out that her “Investing in Culture” initiative, an active partnership between private and public sectors unprecedented in the region, has yielded fruitful outcomes, in relation to the safeguard of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, setting a network of museums, visitors’ centers all around Bahrain, as well registering three sites on UNESCO World Heritage List. H.E added “ This investment in culture has contributed to the successful recognition of Bahrain by the international cultural organizations and entities during the recent years, coroneted recently by 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the “Revitalization of Muharraq” project and implementation challenges, pointing out that the project, facilitated by private–public partnerships, involves also Pearling Path Visitor Center, a UNESCO World Heritage site and many other historical houses, subsidiaries emanating from Shaikh Ebrahim Center for Culture & Research.
H.E argued that Bahrain’s cultural achievements would never have seen the light if there was not sufficient support and cooperation with the private sector, saying “ in 2006, we launched “ Investing in Culture initiative from Shaikh Ebrahim Center for Culture & Research, then the public sector followed, a kind of effective partnership between private-public sectors was born, encouraging cultural private sector financing and creating a vivid cultural scene”. The responsibility of public sector, represented by Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities, is enhance the role of institutions and individuals in the development of culture, raising awareness about the importance of the local cultural heritage for a more rich intellectual and artistic creative environment. H.E added saying that“ Investing in Culture” project has realized many important cultural projects worth USD 145 million, such as the National Theater, which was built and sponsored by and under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, may God protect him, Qala’at al Bahrain Fort Site Museum, sponsored by Arcapita Bank, other museums and visitor centers and restoration and rehabilitation of historical cities and buildings.
H.E presented a special gift to the Library of Congress, her private collection of books and some of Shaikh Ebrahim Center’s publications, as well as BACA’s publications on the history of Bahrain and its archaeology.
