30 November 2014
Arab Towns Organization Delegation Visit National Theater
As part of a bridging cooperation between international bodies and organizations aiming at the sharing of ideas and the best practices in order to facilitate better services and activities, Bahrain National Museum has recently received a delegation from the Arab Towns Organization; the delegation also visited Bahrain National Theater, on 30th November 2014 on the sidelines of the 52nd ATO meeting.
The visit came after the end of the 52nd session of the Arab Towns Organization (ATO) meeting, which was chaired by Bahrain and organized by the Capital General Secretariat during two days (29th -30th November). Members of the different delegations taking part in the meetings described this ATO session as being one of the most successful.
Ministry of Culture officials briefed the ATO delegation on theatrical shows, cultural achievements, and collections of artifacts which reflect Bahrain's' millennia-old civilizations. The ATO officials were also briefed on key projects as part of the Invest-in-Culture Initiative.
During their visit, delegations of the Arab Towns Organization (ATO) toured the different sections of the museum, which includes three halls devoted to archaeology and the ancient civilization of Dilmun, while two other halls depict Bahrain's culture, lifestyle and handicrafts. Burial Halls reflect what many archaeologists have unearthed such as pieces of pottery, shell or stone stamp seals, baskets sealed with asphalt, ivory objects, stone jars, and copper weapons inside these burial mounds’ graves. Arab Towns Organization delegations (ATO) appreciated the historical importance of the archaeological findings exhibited at the museum halls, and was impressed by the precious stones, semi-precious metals inside these ancient civilization’s graves. In fact, Bahrain National Museum boasts 7000 years of artefacts since the first human inhabitants set foots here.
In addition to the archaeological exhibits, ATO delegations also visited the Hall of Customs and Traditions and the Hall of Trades and Crafts, where life-size models of people are displayed in realistic settings, showing how life in Bahrain was lived in pre-oil, pre-air-conditioning times. The delegation finished their visit by discovering the main projects sponsored by “Invest in Culture” initiative, such as the National Theater.
The Arab Towns Organization (ATO) was established in 1967 with headquarters in Kuwait City is a regional, non-governmental and non-political organization specialized in municipal and town affairs in the Arab world. It has an observer status in the first degree in the United Nations, European Council and various other agencies and bodies.
