MORE than 50 per cent of Bahrain’s archaeological sites are located in the Northern Governorate with efforts underway for further excavations and preservation.
Open lines of communication and productive collaboration between municipal councils and the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) were deemed necessary to ensure successful and sustainable preservation.
Several archaeological sites in the Northern Governorate were visited yesterday by Northern Municipal councillors who were accompanied by Baca’s museums and antiquities director Dr Salman Al Mahari.
According to Dr Al Mahari, around 54 per cent of the archaeological sites in Bahrain were located in the Northern Governorate which he called ‘the richest with archaeological sites and intangible heritage’.
“Open channels of communication between Baca, or other government agencies, and the municipal councils are critical in terms of preserving archaeological sites, as well as elements of intangible heritage,” said Dr Al Mahari.
“This is due to councillors being the closest to the people of their constituencies and it’s important to include them in the process of developing government projects.
“Community partnership, with all elements of society, is essential to raise awareness about the significance of these sites and their connection to our rich heritage, as well as their preservation for future generations.”
Northern Municipal Council chairman Dr Sayed Shubbar Al Wedaei also stressed the importance of collaborative efforts to preserve documented areas and to discover more hidden historical gems.
He said protecting archaeological sites help preserve ‘cultural wealth’ and expands tourism and economic opportunities.
“As councillors we have to solidify our relationship with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities to build a strong co-operative partnership allowing for joint strategies and preservation programmes,” he told the GDN.
“The Northern Governorate has a vast cultural wealth that requires preservation in order to develop economic opportunities and investment.
“The core pillars to ensure a successful co-operative partnership is understanding, communication and awareness in order for our collective goals to be achieved.
“Collaborative inspection and field visits are the first step towards achieving strong co-operative relationships with all government authorities in various fields for us to operate as one unit.”
He added that future plans could also incorporate collaboration with the private sector to further preservation efforts.
Baca’s National Heritage director Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said that continuous co-operation and friendly relationships were ‘welcome and critical’.
He added that Baca aspires to continue developing constructive relationships with all municipal councils across the governorates to achieve joint preservation strategies.
“We were happy to witness a positive response from the Northern Municipal Council regarding joint collaborative efforts,” said Shaikh Mohammed. “We have multiple future projects for several archaeological locations and sites across Bahrain and co-operation with municipal councils is critical as they are the link between us and the people.”
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