17 November 2020
His Highness Lifted Bahrain’s Name Up into Glory in the Stars as they Brightly Shine on his Country’s Culture and Civilization, The Culture Authority Recalls the Pivotal Role of the Late HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman in Bahrain's cultural renaissance
Over the past five decades, the Kingdom of Bahrain went through a cultural “Renaissance” period, which has cultivated a new change in art, music and knowledge-based skills, making Bahrain the citadel of culture, a major hub regionally and internationally. One of the key triggers of this Bahraini cultural ‘ Renaissance’ that made the transformation, along with a widespread strong belief in the inspiring role of culture in the development of societies by a number of prominent figures, was a challenging vision by the Late HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman, May God Bless His Soul. The Late Prime Minister played a pivotal role in the development and flourish of public cultural plans and policies that yielded fruitful results, redefining culture during his tenure, as a tributary of sustainable development, a tree casting shade of unity and national identity, a land of historical great deeds, hence, making Bahrain an open window to the world, a magic land to be discovered.
As a result, the cultural movement in Bahrain nowadays is characterized by several aspects, ranging from the inauguration of monumental historical landmarks and cultural monuments, to the completion of urban and historical preservation projects, leading to a talented consistency in the strategic planning of cultural seasons. The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities recalls His Highness the late Amir’s sponsorship of the cultural movement, his constant presence in his various seasons, and his continuous support since the early 1970s.
The constant and vigorous efforts, combined with his patriotism and dedication over the past decade of the Late HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman, May God Bless His Soul, have brought him the recognition and appreciation of the countries of the world and international organizations, chiefly the United Nations and UNESCO. Indeed, at the Paris-based international organization headquarters, the flag of the United Nations was flown at half-mast as a mark of respect for the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
The Late HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman, May God Bless His Soul has dedicated his time and energy to the glory of shining Bahrain all over the world, through many initiatives in different domains, such as the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage in the Kingdom of Bahrain, as a second category center under the auspices of UNESCO. The ARC-WH has, since its establishment in 2012, contributed to global efforts and plans to safeguard of World Heritage in the Arab region. The Late HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman was the force behind its launch and supported its initial working sessions announced after his visit to UNESCO in 2009.
In recognition and appreciation of the vision of His Highness and His deep commitment to the main objectives and goals of the United Nations, The UNGA approved an initiative by the Late Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, to designate 5 April as an International Day of Conscience. In 2009, UNESCO Avicenna Gold Medal, bestowed by the General Director of UNESCO in Paris for his relentless efforts deployed to develop heritage and culture sectors.
The artistic and plastic arts movement in Bahrain is one of the early indications of the support and patronage of His Royal Highness the late Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa for culture, as the Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition, a major cultural rendez-vous, greatly supported and sponsored since 1972. In Bahrain, the elite of the Kingdom's creative artists, citizens, residents, pioneers and youth enjoy taking part in this marvelous event.
The Late HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman, May God Bless His Soul, took an interest in the literary movement in the Kingdom of Bahrain, as His Highness constantly sponsored Bahrain International Book Fair, an event, which over the past years has become a destination for readers and visitors in the Kingdom and the address of many local, Arab and international publishing houses.
