More than 300 distinguished guests came together to celebrate the kingdom’s legacy of peaceful coexistence and mark the United Nations International Day of Peace during a special ceremony organised by This is Bahrain.
The event, held at the Bahrain Conference Centre near the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Diplomatic Area, attracted 360 attendees, including embassy representatives, Shura Council members and Members of Parliament, as well as religious, civil society, club and society leaders.
It was organised in collaboration with Abdulrahman Kanoo Cultural Centre.
“In Bahrain, diversity is not a barrier between us, it is a bond that enriches us,” This is Bahrain chairperson Betsy Mathieson said, in her remarks.
“His Majesty King Hamad expressed this historic reality to the world in 2017 in his Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration, opening with the words: ‘For hundreds of years, different religious groups have lived harmoniously, side by side, in the Kingdom of Bahrain…’
“His Majesty offered this centuries-old Bahraini way of life as an example to inspire others.”
Ms Mathieson added that His Majesty’s vision is also reflected in 25 years of the Supreme Council for Women, chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, advancing the participation and empowerment of Bahraini women.
The evening also featured a televised speech by UN Secretary-General António Guterres who called on communities around the world to invest in peace through tangible efforts and actions.
“Here, in the Kingdom of Bahrain, peace carries a special meaning, because we speak of a nation that, throughout its history, has known how to turn diversity into strength, and coexistence into a way of life,” Abdulrahman Kanoo Cultural Centre secretary-general Dr Masooma Al Mutawah noted in her remarks.
“Today, tolerance and dialogue among cultures and religions are central to Bahrain’s initiatives and its message to the world.
“We take pride in a society where mosques, churches, and temples stand together, and where people are united by their love for this nation.
“This same belief is at the heart of the Abdulrahman Kanoo Cultural Centre, where we do not view culture simply as a book to be read, a lecture to be delivered, or an evening event that ends when its time is over.
“To us, culture is a space where one human being meets another. When the Centre opens its doors to a different perspective, a new literary experience, or a cultural voice from another part of the world, it is, in its own way, creating peace.”
Dr Al Mutawah also paid homage to late Bahraini poet and writer Ali Abdulla Khalifa, noting that he believed culture had no borders and that human creativity, regardless of language or heritage, deserved to be understood and celebrated.
The evening featured a short film and a song in homage to Bahrain’s commitment to peaceful coexistence, followed by dinner.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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