The Bahrain National Museum has opened a dedicated pavilion for the GCC as part of the events accompanying the 46th GCC Summit, highlighting the progress of the GCC in advancing collective integration.
The pavilion, designed as an interactive and multimedia space, offers visitors an immersive experience that traces the history of the GCC and documents its achievements across political, economic, developmental and cultural domains from its establishment to the present day.
Its content outlines the development of Gulf co-operation through visual and informational displays presenting projects, statistics, institutional progress and joint initiatives. The exhibition combines official documentation with interactive screens, architectural models, and contemporary design elements that reflect the pride associated with the GCC’s long path of unity and integration.
Visitors begin their tour at an entrance decorated with the flags of GCC member states and statements by founding leaders, setting a scene that reflects the depth of Gulf unity.
The exhibition then progresses through displays highlighting the early developments that preceded the formation of the GCC, including meetings among member states and the signing of the GCC Charter in Abu Dhabi on May 25, 1981. It also presents the council’s objectives in consolidating co-operation and advancing scientific and technical progress.
A significant section highlights joint Gulf achievements, including the Customs Union launched in 2003. Infographics explain unified customs procedures, the single entry point, and the free movement of goods, alongside displays on economic integration, the GCC Common Market, and the railway project linking member states.
Other sections focus on the development of Gulf institutions since the 1970s in areas such as communications, education, intellectual property, standards and metrology, and higher education.
Archival photographs and original artefacts illustrate how these institutions contributed to building a shared developmental and knowledge-based foundation.
Additional displays cover youth, women and sports, including an area dedicated to joint sports co-operation and another showcasing the achievements of Gulf women, from gaining the right to vote and stand for elections in Bahrain in 2002 to the appointment of the first Omani ambassador to Washington in 2019.
The pavilion also presents the GCC’s regional and international engagement. Panels highlight its strategic dialogue with the United Nations and the European Union, support for global peace efforts, humanitarian contributions, and co-operation with international organisations.
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