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The United Nations has designated the 31st of October as World Cities Day. The Day is expected to greatly promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development around the world. This international visionary approach finds its echo in Bahrain through the efforts of Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities’ efforts to develop and refurbish the urban scene in Bahraini cities, especially in Manama and Muharraq.

In this regard, many projects have been carried during recent years to improve and develop a better cultural infrastructure in both cities of Manama and Muharraq, leading to international recognition and prestigious worldly awards and titles.  

Speaking for the occasion, H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa, President of Bahrain’s Authority for Culture & Antiquities said: “Our cities are not simply places of living, but rather sweet homes of cultural magic memories, the souls of our national identity and the source of our pride. Therefore, we shall continue to work for Bahraini cities to be better represented and reflect historical and cultural heritage assets, archaeological sites, tangible and intangible heritage, so special and unique”. H.E added : “ This important  day, World Cities Day, is an annual memorable rendez-vous to explore our historical cities; our administrative capital, Manama, is considered a model for peace and co-existence, while our culture city, Muharraq, is the symbol of a beautiful regional and international historical and archaeological city”.

H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa has asserted that BACA’s pioneering vision for both cities, Manama and Muharraq, regarding the development of the urban and architectural scene, takes into consideration providing new creative opportunities for the local community and the participation of every individual in the making of glorious historical output. H.E also pointed out that ultimate objective of Bahrain Culture Authority is to achieve sustainable development, in cooperation with the all private and public parties, rejoining that BACA has succeeded to put Bahraini cities on the highest international recognition institution, such as Pearling Path, a UNESCO World Heritage List site, and working on the registration of Manama as a Creative International City. 

  Indeed, Bahrain Culture Authority has carried out many projects in the city of Manama, which are aimed at improving its urban scene and preserve its unique historical assets, such as the Post Office Building, sponsored by His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Distinguished Prime Minister, May God Protect Him.  The restoration and development works of Post Office and Customs historical buildings at Bab-al Bahrain area, in cooperation with Telecommunications and Transportation Ministry, as well the development of Government Avenue and Al-Khalifa Avenue, in cooperation with the Ministry of Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Customs Building project. There is no doubt that BACA, in the past few years, a greater attention has been focused on the challenges of safeguarding not only historic monuments in Bahrain, but also the environment in which they are located – in other words, old quarters, historic cities, like Manama and Muharraq and their historic urban landscapes. That is why Bahrain Culture Authority has made substantive investment in cultural heritage sites by implementing a number of national initiatives, projects and public-private partnerships to preserve and promote sites with an emphasis on the role of local communities to achieve balanced and sustainable development. Other ongoing projects by BACA include “Al-Fadhel Mosque minaret” restoration project, which is supported by Her Highness Shaikha Mariam bint Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, will be renovated and designed as it was first constructed to match the urban architectural style of the capital of coexistence and cultural diversity. Historical public schools restoration, historical houses that are part of Shaikh Ebrahim Center for Culture & Research, such Ibrahim Al-Arrayedh House, Poetry House, Khalaf House, and “Manamat Al Gossaibi, s a tribute to Saudi beloved public figure Dr Gazi Abdul Rahman Al Gosaibi in the heart of Manama. Among the plans scheduled by BACA is the Manama Lac project, adopted in 2012, after the city nomination as the Capital of Arab Culture, establishing a central area in the capital as a cultural hub, instead of its unused current venue as a parking lot behind the Customs Building. Bringing back sea to Bab al Bahrain façade again, making attraction point between Old Manama and modern, providing multifunctional spaces, creating new creative opportunities for investment and big economic endeavors.

With regard to Muharraq, it is certainly Bahrain’s Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA)’ top priority  and strategy to highlight the cultural, historical and urban heritage of the city. The city was celebrated as the Capital of Islamic culture for a whole year, and has recently been awarded by UNESCO Creative Cities Network as Creative City of Design. In addition, Bahrain’s “Revitalization of Muharraq” project is one of the five projects-short listed winners of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, in cooperation with the Sheikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research. The city hosts a large number of cultural venues that enrich the urban and architectural scene, such “UNESCO’s World Heritage List site of Pearling: Testimony of an Island Economy”, including public spaces, historic houses and all  trades related to pearling industry, Dar al Muharraq, Al-Khalifiyah Library, Al Hidaya Al-Khalifiya School, Sheikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Researc’s affiliated historical houses and sites Shaikh Isa Bin Ali House,  Bahrain's Expo Milano 2015 pavilion, “Archaeologies of Green” etc.