HM the King hails Bahrain’s heritage milestone

Manama, June 24 (BNA): His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa received today, at Al-Safriya Palace, Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) President His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay. The audience was also attended by a UNESCO delegation, which arrived in Bahrain to take part in the opening ceremony of the 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee. The Kingdom of Bahrain is chairing the 42nd session, being held under the auspices of HM the King and in the presence of 2000 experts specialised in cultural and natural heritage. HM the King welcomed the guests, expressing Bahrain’s pride in hosting this high-profile global cultural event, in the presence of an elite of experts working in the field of world heritage. He said that Bahrain is hosting the crucial meeting as part of global efforts to build bridges of communication with all cultures and usher in new horizons for knowledge exchange between peoples. He underlined Bahrain’s standing on the world cultural map, owing to its deep-rooted civilization, history and heritage, which are based on firm commitment to the values of tolerance and openness on all human civilisations. HM the King hailed steadily-growing cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UNESCO regarding education, heritage and culture. He reiterated Bahrain’s support to the UNESCO-led efforts, human initiatives and activities. He underlined Bahrain rich cultural and heritage legacy, being one of the countries which are famed for the finest and purest natural pearls in the world. He commended the strenuous efforts led by Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) to preserve national history, pointing out that Bahrain Fort and the Pearl Trail have been registered on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites. HM the King wished the participants every success in the 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee and a pleasant stay which will give them the opportunity to explore Bahrain’s historical and cultural vestiges and visit its museums and heritage sites. UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay and the participants expressed deepest thanks to HM the King for the warm welcome and kind hospitality, hailing Bahrain’s role and efforts to conserve world heritage. HM the King and the guests taking part in the 42nd session then watched a show of pure Bahraini Arabian breed which top the races. Bahrain, which is registered in the World Arabian Horse Organisation (WAHO), boasts some of the finest and purest Arabian breed.