31 December 2025
Muharraq Nights Festival Concludes Its Fourth Edition, resident of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities: We take pride in His Majesty the King’s commendation of Muharraq Nights Festival and reaffirm our commitment to Bahrain’s heritage and cultural identity
Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, expressed his appreciation for the gracious royal commendation by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, for the efforts behind organising the Muharraq Nights Festival. He affirmed that this recognition is a source of pride in what has been achieved and a renewed motivation to continue working with greater determination to enrich the national cultural scene. It also represents a heightened responsibility to further establish the festival as a vibrant national platform rooted in identity and closely connected to the community, reflecting the authenticity of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the rich history of Muharraq, while reconnecting generations with their living heritage and enduring values.
He also referred to the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, which support the implementation of projects and initiatives aimed at revitalising the city of Muharraq and preserving its heritage components as a fundamental pillar of cultural and national development. He emphasised that the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities will continue, in a spirit of teamwork and in close collaboration with partners, to strengthen this cultural and civilisational pathway in a manner that reinforces values of belonging, pride, and loyalty to the Kingdom among its citizens and visitors.
These remarks were made on the occasion of the conclusion of the fourth edition of the Muharraq Nights Festival, organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities across the 3.5-kilometre Pearling Path, stretching from Bu Mahir Seashore to the Pearl Museum – Siyadi Majlis. The festival hosted more than 560 activities and presented over 800 diverse musical performances, attracting broad participation from visitors from within the Kingdom of Bahrain and abroad, within a comprehensive cultural programme that included artistic activities, exhibitions, tours, and interactive workshops.
The President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities noted that the fourth edition of the festival achieved positive results in terms of content, organisation, and participation. He underscored that the festival represents an integrated cultural project that activates heritage sites and landmarks through contemporary artistic and cultural programmes, contributing to sustainable cultural development and the revitalisation of historic cities.
He added that the festival’s activities were held over the course of a full month across the historic city, along the Pearling Path inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, welcoming audiences of different ages and nationalities. The programmes reflected traditional architecture, intangible cultural heritage, and social customs associated with the history of Muharraq and Bahrain.
He further highlighted that the festival provided a platform to support entrepreneurs, musicians, artists, and artisans by offering opportunities to showcase their work and engage directly with audiences. This, he noted, contributes to supporting the cultural economy and enhancing the sustainability of the creative sector, while also reflecting the positive outcomes achieved through collaboration among participating entities and the effective use of the World Heritage–listed Pearling Path.
The President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities extended his thanks to the supporting entities and partners, as well as to the people of Muharraq, noting that this cooperation played a vital role in the festival’s success and underscored the importance of partnership between public, community, and private sectors in delivering cultural projects.
The Muharraq Nights Festival programme spanned eight main pillars, including art, design, crafts, children’s programmes, food, music, activities, and tours. The festival also enabled the public to visit the Pearling Path houses and explore their displays documenting the history of Bahrain’s pearling economy.
The festival featured art exhibitions, installation projects, visual experiences, photographic exhibitions, and interactive works addressing themes of memory, identity, and movement, while highlighting the sea as a central element in the history of the city of Muharraq. These activities were organised in collaboration with a number of local cultural and artistic institutions, including the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research, Al Riwaq Art Space, The Art Station, Albareh Art Space, and Art Concept.
