“This underlines the kingdom’s deep-rooted and unique cultural heritage which has earned Bahrain a well-reputed place among countries that boast a honourable historical record and a creative national identity,” BCCI Chairman Dr. Essam Abdullah Fakhro said pointing out that this honourable achievement is first and foremost the outcome of the royal reform project of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
He was speaking during a visit by a BCCI delegation to Bahrain National Museum.
He also credited the government, led by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and the Economic Development Board (EDB), chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, for backing local and foreign investments in the cultural field.
Dr. Fakhro hailed, in this context, the qualitative projects carried out by the Ministry of Culture in the cultural and tourism fields stressing BCCI’s support to them and to every national project that aims to project Bahrain’s rich cultural heritage worldwide.
He commended, in this regard, the strenuous efforts exerted by Culture Minister Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa to promote cultural tourism through various initiatives.
He called on the private sector to support these initiatives which seek to promote Bahrain as a tourism destination, diversify the investment base, protect the national heritage and provide opportunities for the youth to become active participants in the development process as well as artistic and cultural production.
He also emphasized BCCI’s readiness to back the Culture Ministry’s efforts to link culture with the local economy and boost partnership between the public and private sectors in this regard.
He hoped more initiatives will be made by the private sector’s establishments in the forthcoming phase to create true and sustainable partnership with the public sector in supporting cultural and tourism projects.
The BCCI delegation was briefed during the visit to Bahrain National Museum about a wide range of projects implemented by the Culture Ministry nationwide.
At the end of the meeting, Shaikha Mai presented the delegation with a book on the world heritage in the Arab countries, which was launched by Bahrain in cooperation with UNESCO and ESCWA at UNESCO’s headquarters, in Paris, during the 35th meeting of the World Heritage Committee last June, which was presided over by Bahrain.