Proud to raise Bahrain flag

Dear Betsy, Your articles have really been very interesting to me this year, as I am studying in Switzerland and reading the GulfWeekly online has helped me to stay in touch with my country.

I was lucky to meet you last time I was home on vacation in December and you really gave me such great advice that it inspired me to follow my dream and thanks to your support, I am writing with pleasure to declare that my mission is finally completed ... I have raised the Bahraini flag at one of the highest mountains in Switzerland (Pilatus Mountain - 7,000 ft high), and raised the flag at our university. I am not sure if I am the first Bahraini student in the world who did it at a university or up a mountain, but I'm definitely sure that I'm the first in Switzerland!

As I have always watched events that raises the Bahraini flag around the world, such as the horse riding tournaments around Europe and the Middle East by Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, as well as Bahrain's Popeye drag racing team with Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahraini athletes at the Olympics and the Bahraini national football team and many others, I dreamt of doing something that is little bit close to them, but on a smaller scale; but yet it is still considered an achievement. So I am 'DONE', my dream came true!

My special thanks goes to our school Business & Hotel Management School ((BHMS), Benedict University and specially our Dean, Mr Terry, who made the process smoother, as it would have been a headache to do such a thing without their support.

Also, thanks go to Bahrain's' Ministry of Information, for giving me Bahrain maps, books and pin buttons with the King's, Crown Prince's and the Prime Minister's pictures and Bahrain's logo on them to help me market our kingdom.

As I am the first Bahraini student who has been sent by The Gulf Hotel to Switzerland as a management trainee, I would like to let young Bahrainis know that the hospitality business is an amazing and rewarding field - it demands creativity and communication skills which exist in the Bahraini blood, it furnishes our brains with knowledge that revolutionises our lifestyle and way of thinking and much more.

To my father (Abdulla Al Gannas or Abdulla Guitar), The Gulf Hotel, The Gulf Hote'ls CEO Aqeel Al Rayyes, board of directors, my training manager Karin Geyser and everyone who supported me to make this journey successful and achievable, thank you.

In turn I am paying them back by proving that I am up to the challenge and proving that 'YES, I can do it!'

Last but not least, it would honour me to dedicate my Bahrain flag mission to our beloved kingdom, our King, Crown Prince, Prime Minister and our Bahraini youth representatives (Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa).

Thank you, Betsy, for inspiring and motivating me too. I hope my letter will show other Bahrainis that we can do anything we really want, just like you told me.

Please keep writing your excellent words - they are read by us all around the world.

Best regards,

Khalid Al Gannas

Dear Khalid,

I am so proud of you and thrilled to hear of the success of your mission. You are a shining example to all of us, showing that when you believe in your dream, anything really is possible.

I am sure your letter will inspire others to reach for their dreams.

I remember when we talked, and you asked for my advice on how to reach your goal and I shared with you my recipe for success. It works whether you are 16 or 86 and no matter what your dreams or goals are, you can achieve them if you just 'put your CAP on'.

Simply put, this means you need to be Committed, Ambitious and Passionate in everything you do.

Thank you for sharing your success with us and we all wish you the best of luck with your studies.

To all the employers out there who are reading this, there is a powerful message here.

There are lots of talented, ambitious, conscientious young Bahrainis out there who just need a chance to shine.

Too many companies still have a negative outdated attitude when it comes to employing Bahrainis, preferring instead to recruit expats who they perceive as less expensive and easier to control.

With the government's newly launched '1,300' scheme by Tamkeen, employers can claim BD7,000 over two years in salary subsidies and training costs when they employ a Bahraini graduate, but how many are aware of this new initiative and how many will have the wisdom to take advantage of it?

The real riches of our kingdom are our citizens and for anything to flourish it needs to be nurtured and encouraged and there are still lots of employers out there who need to understand that training is an investment and not a 'cost'.

When I was at junior school, I learned something that has stuck with me for life and it is something we all need to remember, whether you are an employer or employee, 'nihil sine labore' ... this Latin phrase simply means 'nothing without work' and that is the same in any language, any culture and any life situation.

So this week, put your 'CAP' on and follow your dreams, big or small, and watch the magic begin.