03 February 2022
H.E Shaikha Mai Visits Louvre Museum, Paris, Plans to organize an exhibition reflecting the richness of Bahrain next October
The Louvre, a former fortress and royal palace, is one of the world’s most awe-inspiring museums, a trove of history from the seventh century B.C. to the mid-19th century is where H.E Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, met on Wednesday, 2 February, 2022, with Ms. Ariane Thomas, he director of the Louvre's Department of Near Eastern Antiquities in the French capital, Paris. Both parties discussed the details of a scheduled exhibition that will be devoted to the civilization of Dilmun, in implementation and in accordance with Cooperation Agreement Convention, signed between BACA and the Louvre Museum, in 201, on the sidelines of the visit of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the country, May God Protect him, to the friendly French Republic.
Worth to mention that the exhibition will be held next October at the most prestigious halls of the Louvre Museum, visited by large public, official guests and where Antiquities from the East and West vie for attention with masterpieces by Leonardo and Vermeer; wander aimlessly through its maze of galleries and you’re as likely to stumble into an imperial ballroom as a chamber containing a sphinx. The Bahraini exhibition, as part of the Bahrain National Museum private acquisitions, will shed lights on the private acquisitions in relation to Dilmun civilization at the French museum. The display will last three years during which many Bahraini artifacts will be showcased in one of the most prestigious museums in the world, promoting, thus, the Tangible Heritage of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Indeed, France and Bahrain share a common determination to protect and preserve cultural heritage, as well as artistic creation. It has resulted in a rich cultural cross-fertilization. The meeting of civilizations actually came to life when the relationship was established in 1842, as the French ship, La Favorite, sent by King Louis-Philippe, arrived in Bahrain during a campaign in the Red Sea. The cultural exchange started at the turn of the twentieth century, the French jeweller, Jacques Cartier, came to Bahrain in 1912, seduced by the high-quality pearls of which fame had echoed to Paris. Through archaeological missions launched in 1977, celebrated its 40th Anniversary in 2018, France has actively participated in the rediscovery of Bahrain’s ancient history successive periods at Qala’at al-Bahrain, a UNESCO World Heritage List site. The opening of a French Embassy in 1974, finally laid the foundation for a long-standing relationship with Bahrain, where the common concern for excellence is reflected in all areas, notably in the field of educational and academic cooperation.
