MANAMA: His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa underlined the need for concerted efforts to debunk fallacies and defamatory campaigns waged against Bahrain to mar its reputation and undermine national security and stability.
HRH Premier highlighted the importance of mass media and the press in Bahrain as a key partner in supporting the government’s development efforts and shaping visions.
Addressing the world on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, on May 3, he called on the press to further boost its role and positive contribution to promoting the culture of work and production to better serve the nation.
HRH He also praised the role of Bahrain Journalists Association in following up on Bahraini journalists affairs and achieving their aspirations.
He applauded the key role of the press in raising public awareness and boosting social capabilities.
He pointed out that choosing this year’s theme “Media Freedom for a Better Future: Shaping the Post-2015 Development Agenda”, re-affirms confidence of the international community in the role of the press as a key contributor to international growth and a tribute to the efforts made to promote the millennium’s development goals.
He stressed that Bahrain’s keenness to join the world every year in celebrating the World Press Freedom Day is recognition of the remarkable role played by the national press throughout Bahrain’s history in fast-tracking development.
HRH paid tribute to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for fostering a climate of freedom of expression, stressing the importance of the press as a means to anchor values of tolerance and moderation and renounce ideologies which are alien to the Bahraini society that has ever been known for peace and co-existence.
“Journalists and media persons in Bahrain have a major role in enlightening the society and their responsibilities are bigger in achieving people’s aspirations and defending their issues courageously and objectively,” he said, stressing national growth as a stimulus and a priority.
He also underscored the influential role of journalists and media persons in shaping public awareness and bolstering good values and patriotism. He reiterated his open-door policy with the press and mass media, lauding the climate of freedom and openness reigning in Bahrain.
He urged to tap on the youth’s potentials by encouraging and stimulating them to acquire the needed knowledge so as to groom an open-minded generation keen on maintaining bridges of communication between the community and the press.
HRH the Prime Minister asserted that freedom of expression is protected and guaranteed by the constitution, underscoring the government’s constant and confident steps on the path of development and democracy.
“Bahrain has been able to bring about major, comprehensive and sustainable development achievements and successfully attain the millennium’s development goals which earned it the UN Millennium Development Goals Award in 2010.”