MORE than 130 former Bapco employees and Awali residents attended a reunion in Manchester, the UK.
The gathering included a group of former residents known as the Awali Teenagers made up of people who spent their childhood mainly in Awali from the 1950s to 1980s.
Officials from the Bahrain Embassy, Bapco representatives and Bahraini postgraduate students studying in British universities attended the event which marked the fifth reunion of the group since its inception in 2008.
Some guests flew in from across the globe, rekindling fond memories and reflecting their deep sense of belonging and enduring affection for Bahrain and its people.
“Awali must be unique in that its former residents – in this case the Awali Teenagers – hold such fond memories of growing up, living and working in and from it,” said International Institute for Strategic Studies(IISS) senior adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Sir Thomas Beckett.
He was born in 1962 in Awali while his father worked for Bapco.
“This could only be because of the welcoming nature of Bahrain and all Bahrainis,” he added.
“The reunion is so important to us all, as after 60 years we are still a family and many of us are still in contact with each other,” said Mark Burton, another former resident.
“Our childhood in Awali, Bahrain was like no other. We were so blessed with everything that we had, and it will never be forgotten.”
Bahrain’s Deputy Chief of Mission to the UK Hussain Alam highlighted the many close and enduring personal friendships between former Awali residents and their Bahraini neighbours, and praised the ceremony, “which carries the spirit of friendship, coexistence and true affection that binds the peoples of the two friendly kingdoms”.
“What a fabulous time we had in Manchester for the Awali Teenagers reunion,” commented Charles Peter, another former resident.
“I feel honoured to be part of such a reunion group, and cherish the bonds that go all the way back to our time in Bahrain.”
Awali township, established in the early 20th century to serve Bapco employees, stands as an important symbol of the deep and longstanding ties between residents, the company and the kingdom.
In 2019, a large group of Awali Teenagers visited Bahrain for a reunion.
During the five-day trip, the group took part in a series of events organised by Bapco, including visits to Hawar, Al Dar Islands, Tree of Life, horse stables and places of interest on the island including Oil Well No 1 and Dar Al Naft Oil Museum.
Sixty-five teenagers, who were born in Awali Hospital, revisited their birthplace and the Awali School where they had received their early education.
The group also visited their old Awali houses and landmarks such as the Awali Library and church.
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