King receives Scottish community members

Manama, Jan. 31 (BNA): His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, today at the Sakhir Palace, received United Kingdom Ambassador to Bahrain, Simon Martin, and members of the Scottish community in Bahrain. Following traditional Scottish music to welcome HM the King, HM the King delivered the following speech: "Your Excellency Ambassador, Honourable Guests, It is a great pleasure to meet you all, and to continue the bonds of friendship between our nations, which stretch back over centuries. For hundreds of years, the people of Scotland and Bahrain have worked and socialised together. The Kingdom of Bahrain has always had an immense respect for the achievements of the United Kingdom, which have only been possible through the hard work of your countrymen and women. The people of Scotland are renowned for travelling the world to seek new opportunities – and we are delighted that you are continuing that tradition here in Bahrain. Thank you for bringing your expertise and your talents to our country. We deeply appreciate the part you are playing in our institutions and in Bahrain’s economy, we hope you feel very much at home here. Indeed, I know that for many of you, Bahrain has become their home. Though our nations may be different, we have much in common. Both Bahrain and Scotland are driven by great ambitions and the highest values and aspirations. Both are proudly patriotic – and yet both embody a spirit of tolerance, in which we celebrate all communities and traditions as well as our own. Speaking of tradition, it seems right to mention the celebration of Burns Night, which I know took place a few nights ago. In honour of your renowned national poet, let me promise that in the case of Bahrain and Scotland, 'old acquaintances' shall never be forgot. "Thank you once again – for your commitment to Bahrain, your loyalty to our people, and your ongoing friendship." The British Ambassador to Bahrain gave the following speech: "Your Majesty, Please allow me on behalf of the members of Bahrain’s Scottish community here today to thank you for your kind invitation and for this wonderful initiative to honour the contribution of Scotland and the Scots in the Kingdom. The relationship between the UK and Bahrain is, I believe, a unique one. We have so many shared interests and so many shared elements to our history. All of this was so vividly highlighted by the recent celebration of the 200 years of our formal relationship. Your Majesty, When I first arrived in Bahrain to take up my post, you encouraged me to approach the 2016 bicentenary with enthusiasm and energy. In fact you set us the target of organising 200 events to commemorate the 200th anniversary. I am glad to say we managed more than 200! During that bicentenary year we celebrated our cultural ties, our commercial relationship, our historic collaboration in the defence field and our shared defence and security challenges in the present day. We also highlighted all of the wonderful things going on in education and, above all, we honoured the extraordinary personal links that exist between the people of our two countries. Your Majesty, if I may say so your focus on the role of Bahrain’s Scottish community is a very appropriate one. I do not want to steal the thunder of the Chieftain of the Awali Caledonian Society who will follow me, but it is very telling that this society was formed in Awali, the home of BAPCO. For many Scottish oilmen (and women) have contributed to the development of Bahrain’s oil industry and continue to do so to this day. Now of course the Scottish oil and gas industry is famous throughout the world, but the Scots first came to work in Bahrain’s oil industry many decades before the discovery of oil in the North Sea! And it was no doubt the Scots who brought golf to Bahrain – it was certainly a famous modern day Scot, Colin Montgomery, who designed the famously fiendish course that confronts us today at the Royal Golf Club! And there are many other wonderful historic links between these two countries and nations – by which I refer in this context to Bahrain and Scotland. I should like, however, to focus on the present day. It is clear from the community of Scots here today, Your Majesty, just how large and vibrant is their presence in your Kingdom. Scottish men, women and children all of whom in their different ways are woven into the fabric of Bahraini society, contributing to your country’s development and enjoying in equal measure your country’s famously warm hospitality. Businessmen and women, teachers, artists, leaders of community organisations and – dare I say it – even diplomats. For despite the southern accent I am proud to claim in my blood to be at least half Scottish myself! And the connections are equally strong in the other direction: Many Bahrainis are frequent visitors to Scotland – Your Majesty’s own honorary membership of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club is testament to your own affection both for Scotland, as well as for golf, as is the existence of a Royal Bahrain Tartan, resplendent with the red of the Bahraini flag and the blue of the Saltire! And there are no end of Bahrainis who have braved the climatic gulf to study at some of the UK’s finest universities, including Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews. But Your Majesty I wonder if it would surprise you to know that one in every 1000 of your subjects has graduated as a Master of Business Administration – an MBA – from the University of Strathclyde. These Scottish Bahraini graduates are already to be found right across the business and government sectors in Bahrain making, I believe, a really substantial contribution to the economic and wider reform and development which I know is so important to Your Majesty’s vision of the future. So, Your Majesty, it is a source of great pride to me, as British Ambassador, that you should wish to honour the Scottish community in your Kingdom. From us all, thank you." Awali Caledonian Society Chieftain Ewan Reekie gave the following speech: "Your Majesty, Your Highnesses, Your Excellency’s, Ladies and Gentlemen, fellow Scots and friends of Scotland, On behalf of the Awali and Manama Caledonian Societies and our Scottish communities, I would like to thank Your Majesty for honoring us with this kind invitation and for welcoming us all here today. I would like to say a few words about Bahrain and why we Scots love to live here with our families. What is home? It might be the taste of your mother's cooking or maybe it's when you read to your children at bedtime. Perhaps it's sharing a meal with friends around a noisy dinner table or simply having tea in the peace and tranquility of your garden. It’s the people we work, socialize and relate to, our personal possessions and ultimately the place where we decide to live, that not only defines us as individuals, but also forms our home – and for many Scottish people from diverse professions, backgrounds and all walks of life, Bahrain is Home. And what do I put it down to? I think it’s down to the freedoms of religion and culture that are extended to us, our safe home and work environment and the social life that we have here in Bahrain. I am fortunate to work for Bapco and I work with many different nationalities and cultures and I can tell you that there is no end to the friendly nature of the Bahrainis, and for some strange reason they have a liking for us Scots! It is the Bahraini people with their warm hearts who make us feel at home. I have also travelled overseas many times with the 'This is Bahrain Delegation' and I know personally this diverse group of individuals of all nationalities are also very proud to call Bahrain their home! So it not just us Scots! His Excellency the British Ambassador Simon Martin hosted a gathering of Scots at the Embassy in celebration of St. Andrews Night last year, and I was delighted to see so many Bahrainis were also invited to celebrate this occasion, I wondered why would there be so many Bahrainis attending a Scottish celebration, and as it turned out, they had either studied in Scotland at one or more of our brilliant universities, were working in Scotland or enjoyed some other link with Scotland which they were all very proud of, which was marvelous to see. Your Majesty, We are very grateful for the freedom bestowed upon us to form our clubs and societies and the Awali Caledonian society celebrated its 82nd St Andrews’s Ball last year and we have just had our 83rd Burns supper last week, so I think you could say we are here to stay"! We would like to extend an invitation to all Scots and friends of Scotland, but especially to our Bahraini friends to join either of our Caledonian Societies, as just like the Kingdom of Bahrain, we welcome everyone and rejoice in our diversity. Your Majesty, once again, we Scots express our deepest gratitude for your gracious hospitality." HM the King was presented with a commemorative gift on behalf of the Scottish community in Bahrain marking the occasion.