Another fabulous year of culture has passed; a year which showcased the best of Bahrain’s heritage to the world. This heritage, which shapes the country’s unique identity and intimate social fabric, is our true source of wealth. From traditional handicrafts and products to folklore, stories, and customs and traditions, we celebrate these unique cultural assets under the slogan launched by the World Tourism Organization, “Tourism Enriches”.
Through this collective vision, we strive to entrench the value of heritage as a source of enrichment for citizens as an expression of their unique differentiating identity. Moreover, heritage is also as a source of enrichment for the nation as a whole, transforming it into a preferred destination for lovers of cities, history and authenticity. In doing so, human and urban heritage, coupled with the historical biography of places and people, can contribute to the development of cities, deepen its relationship with culture and landmarks and monuments, rediscover nations, and highlight their defining character.
Each day in 2015 will see us reaching out to showcase the true beauty of our people, cities, and places so that they may welcome citizens and visitors alike. It is tourism, after all, that augments cultural and natural assets with an economic value beyond just their inherent moral worth.
Through “Our Year of Heritage”, culture serves as our inspiration to showcase 12 components which collectively constitute the nation in which we live, and form the destination which we strive for our citizens to connect with first and foremost first and foremost outsiders. These 12 components are: Our Antiquities, Our Buildings, Our Pearls, Our Songs, Our Dances, Our Crafts, Our Fruits, Our Costumes, Our Jewelry, Our Swards, and Our Games.
“Our Year of Heritage”… a nation which celebrates its history by keeping its memory alive.
