Write to the editor

He is an exceptional educator who richly deserves this award from Her Majesty, The Queen. I know that this award willnot only be welcomed by St Christopher’s and the British community in Bahrain but also by many across the Middle East.

He has led the development of StChristopher’s into one of the best British schools outside the UK and has been a leader of British education in the region, as acknowledged by his peers at other British schools in the Middle East.

Many congratulations to Ed.

British Ambassador Iain Lindsay, Manama.

Here’s wishing each and every one of you a wonderful and successful 2014 – may you find the time and the resolve to continue writing, creating and being inspired.

After a hectic holiday season we are backand raring to go! I And in this renewed spirit, we remind GulfWeekly readers that our next meeting is scheduled for Sunday at 7.30pm at Coral Bay. Ourspeaker is Julie Lomas who will share her publishing experience with us.

Please remember to either send in membership forms or bring them in completed and updated along with any dues.Remember that each small membership fee covers our website hosting, membership cards and other sundries.

In return members get three opportunities every month to explore, expand and improve their writing and meet their goals:a general monthly meeting with a speaker, a monthly poetry meeting and workshop with David Hollywood, and a monthly creative writers’ meeting with Simi Kamboj, as well as the opportunity to participate in a challenge and receive free feedback from established writers from around the world.

In addition the card entitles members todiscounts at stores like Jashanmal’s and Organic Foods & Cafe, as well asaccess to exclusively-listed writing positions, a free member-page where peoplecan promote their writing and a host of other privileges, not least of which is meeting like-minded individuals!

So, do please come to our meeting and let’sall take the BWC to the next level.

Contact 39574795 or visitwww.BahrainWritersCircle.com

World Arabic Language Day was recently an opportunity for us to acknowledge the immense contribution of the Arabic language to universal culture and to renew our commitment to multilingualism.

Linguistic diversity is a key component of cultural diversity. It reflects the wealth of human existence and gives usaccess to infinite resources so that we may engage in dialogue, learn, develop and live in peace.

The Arabic language bears the treasures of ancient Islamic wisdom, and the voice of poets, philosophers and scientists who placed the strength and beauty of the language at the service of humanity,scholars like the great Avicenna, the 1,000th anniversary of whose The Canon of Medicine we celebrate this year.

We can mobilise that strength to spread knowledge, encourage mutual understanding and build spaces of cooperation for development and peace. The Arabic language is also our ally as we seek to improve literacy rates and build knowledge societies.

Arabic bears the identities and values of 422 million individuals in the world and of 1.5 billion Muslims who use it for their daily prayers. It drives the reinforcement of the values we share.

With this in mind, UNESCO supports the International Council for the Arabic Language, whose role is essential in connecting the Arabic-language cultures and cultures of other languages across the world. UNESCO is involved in a number of regional initiatives designed to promote Arabic, such as the e-platform for teachers, Education for theTwenty-First Century, designed to facilitate knowledge sharing.