A wide-ranging government strategy to strengthen Bahrain’s cultural presence across media platforms and revitalise major events – including the Bahrain International Book Fair – has been outlined by Information Minister Dr Ramzan Al Nuaimi.
He said the ministry plays a central role in promoting Bahraini culture and products through television, radio and digital platforms, ensuring national identity remains a core pillar of public broadcasting.
Bahrain TV, national radio stations and official digital channels regularly broadcast cultural, heritage and artistic programmes as part of their annual schedules, with daily flagship shows such as Shams Al Bahrain and Masa Al Khair, alongside radio programmes including Sabah Al Khair Ya Bahrain, dedicating airtime to cultural initiatives, artists and national events.
Dr Al Nuaimi made the remarks while responding to a question by MP Dr Mariam Al Dhaen.
He noted that cultural content was also embedded across Ramadan 2025 programming, which featured 28 religious, social and cultural productions, in addition to live coverage of events across all governorates, highlighting folk arts, theatre, visual arts and traditional crafts.
The ministry actively supports major public festivals, including the Bahrain Holidays Festival and Al Sariya Evenings, both held at the Heritage Village, Dr Al Nuaimi said, describing them as key platforms for showcasing Bahraini heritage, folk arts and creative talent.
As the minister politically responsible for the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca), Dr Al Nuaimi also addressed questions from MP Eman Shuwaiter on the postponement of the Bahrain International Book Fair.
He explained that the fair is traditionally held every two years, with the last edition staged in 2018 alongside Muharraq’s designation as the Capital of Islamic Culture. Subsequent editions were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, while later postponements were linked to logistical, financial and organisational challenges.
Dr Al Nuaimi said Baca had undertaken extensive preparations to revive the fair, including organisational studies, budget planning, co-ordination with regional and international publishers, development of electronic registration systems and efforts to reduce costs through private-sector partnerships.
However, all requirements could not be completed owing to time constraints – necessitating postponement to a later date, which will be announced once preparations are finalised.
He stressed that the authority does not incur financial penalties when events are postponed, as contractual commitments are only entered into once all conditions are met.
The minister also pointed out that numerous local book fairs were held between 2020 and 2025, reflecting continued support for Bahrain’s literary and cultural scene.
In a separate response to MP Jameel Hassan, Dr Al Nuaimi addressed workforce restructuring within the ministry, confirming that eight Bahraini employees had opted for early retirement since the start of the current legislative term.
He stressed that all cases were based on employees’ own requests and processed in full compliance with civil service and retirement laws, with safeguards in place to prevent injustice.
The minister added that vacancies are being filled in co-ordination with the Civil Service Commission, based on operational needs and available budgets, while the ministry’s organisational structure is currently under review following Decree No Nine of 2024, as part of ongoing efforts to improve efficiency and service quality.
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