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Various schools, embassies and organisations showcased their love and support for the kingdom they call home in early National Day celebrations at the ‘This is Bahrain’ bonanza.
More than 50,000 people flocked to the community spectacular staged at the National Stadium car park in Riffa on Friday to celebrate the island’s diversity and to commemorate the anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession.
The event, organised by the Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Associations (BFEA), follows on the success of a string of international ‘This is Bahrain’ roadshows covering London, Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Washington DC and New York.
Betsy Mathieson, BFEA secretary-general, said: “Our aim is to bring Bahraini and expatriate families together to celebrate Bahrain’s ‘one family spirit’ and to give thanks for our many blessings and our peaceful, harmonious way of life, thanks to the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Hamad who has granted us all total religious freedom and the right to worship unhindered.
“We have successfully altered the negative perception of media, governments, corporations, organisations and individuals by simply ‘telling the truth’ and backing it up with verifiable facts and figures.”
The organisers were full of praise for the support shown by the Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who attended the event.
The festive fair featured live entertainment, a children’s playground, an outdoor souq and 300 exhibition stands including embassies, schools, clubs, associations, societies and religious organisations.
Visitors were attracted to the Bahrain Rugby Football Club (BRFC) stand, which gave women a chance to test their netballing skills with the aim of finding future recruits for the new all-Bahraini girls team.
Mehdi Honar, BRFC chairman, who has taken part in every ‘This is Bahrain’ road show, said: “This event shows that in Bahrain, anything and everything is possible. We now have an all-Bahraini ladies netball team and a Bahraini men’s rugby squad. We wanted to introduce these sports to the kingdom and hopefully more will want to participate.
“Sport brings friendship, respect and harmony and that is what we need. We are very grateful to His Majesty for his excellent support to sport.”
During the event, several schools and societies entertained visitors with a compilation of songs and dances as they feasted on traditional Bahraini food and rummaged through the handicrafts and local products on display.
Arabian Gulf University English teacher, Sarah McMillian, 22, attended the joyous occasion with her old college friend Kate Tomlinson, 22, a management consultant, visiting from the UK.
Sarah said: “This event has a really interesting mix of stands and displays. We enjoyed the Bahraini food the most. Everyone is so friendly here.”
Kate was happy that she was able to get a glimpse of Bahrain through the eyes of the different societies. She said: “I think it’s great that everything is located in one place. There are so many different communities and societies in Bahrain that I didn’t know were here before and because of it, I can see myself living here.”
