Bahrain EDB Hosts Forty Member Delegation from China

March 25, 2016

Manama: Forty Chinese investors representing a number of sub-sectors within the food and restaurant industry are visiting Bahrain to explore potential opportunities for cooperation and investment. The representatives are from a number of Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Henan, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Xinjiang, Liaoning, Ningxia and Shanxi.

The delegation, which is being hosted by the Bahrain Economic Development Board, will be participating in meetings with key officials at the EDB, where they will be introduced to the Kingdom’s key competitive advantages and economic landscape. The Chinese delegation will also meet with their local business counterparts at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
EDB officials briefed the visiting delegation about the investment opportunities that Bahrain’s mature and open economic environment offers. Companies looking to establish operations in the Kingdom will be able to benefit from the numerous advantages that Bahrain offers investors, including low operating costs, a highly qualified bilingual workforce, and unique access to its GCC neighbours. The hotels and restaurants sector is also one of the fastest expanding areas of the Kingdom’s economy, totaling 8% over the first three quarters of 2015.
Mr. Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chief Executive of the Bahrain EDB, commented: “Over recent years, the Bahrain EDB has had a range of discussions with Chinese investors who have visited the Kingdom as part of business delegations, and a common theme we’ve heard from these conversations is that Chinese investors are becoming more interested in the GCC region. The GCC market is growing and the demographic dynamics are changing, with Bahrain uniquely positioned as a gateway from which companies are able to access this market. Through these meetings, we are hoping to introduce these investors to the Kingdom’s competitive advantages, allowing them to understand the economic climate in Bahrain and the region”.
The delegation’s visit is a part of the EDB’s strategy to strengthen bilateral, economic, and investment cooperation with The People’s Republic of China which is one of Bahrain’s leading commerce partners. In 2015 the EDB hosted 20 Chinese delegations covering various sector and provinces of China.

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For More Information, Please Call:
Bahrain Economic Development Board
Tel. +973 17589966
E-mail: NC@BahrainEDB.com

Bahrain and Malaysia strengthen oil and gas ties

March 23, 2016

Manama: The Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Malaysia Petroleum Resources Corporation (MPRC) have today signed an MOU to promote cooperation and explore opportunities in the oil & gas sectors.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the side lines of a business forum hosted by MPRC in conjunction with Offshore Technology Conference Asia 2016. Ms Dharmi Magdani, country head of the EDB’s India office which covers the Asia region, addressed the forum on the many business opportunities available to Malaysian companies in Bahrain, and on the importance of knowledge sharing and promoting cooperation between industry leaders.

Ms Magdani said: “The GCC region is renowned globally for its oil and gas industry.  Bahrain was the first country in the Gulf to discover oil, as well as successfully drill and exploit this resource commercially and today we have a thriving downstream industry. This long experience in the sector means we have a deep pool of local expertise that can help businesses looking to access and service the energy industry in the global hub for oil and gas. As an important player in the international oil and gas industry, Malaysian firms can undoubtedly have a role to play in ongoing investment in the sector in the Gulf.
“This agreement will enable us to share our knowledge and experience with the MPRC and drive investment and development in this sector and afford us the chance to raise awareness of the many competitive advantages that Bahrain can offer Malaysian businesses looking to access the GCC region’s lucrative $1.6 trillion market. These benefits include a tried and tested regulatory environment, minimal restrictions on foreign investment and ownership and one of the lowest operating costs and taxation systems in the region.  For over two decades, Bahrain has been recognised as the freest economy in the Middle East and North Africa by the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom, and continues to remain in this position in 2016.”
Datuk Shahrol Halmi, President and CEO of the MPRC, also commented on the announcement: “Our mission is to facilitate market expansion, as well as increase competitiveness and innovation in Malaysia’s oil and gas services and equipment industry. We can best achieve this by strengthening ties with our international counterparts and entering into strategic partnerships with organisations like the Bahrain EDB.
“This arrangement with the EDB will enable us to cooperate and share high-impact information and announcements. Our organisations will also support each other in marketing, awareness programmes or investment promotion initiatives, with the aim of boosting trade between our two countries.”
Bahrain and Malaysia have a history of firm bilateral relations and engagement on a variety of economic and strategic fronts. In addition to manufacturing and oil and gas, both countries are leaders and innovators in Islamic finance and rapid growth has prompted closer ties in this sector. A number of Malaysian financial institutions such as CIMB and Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) have offices in Bahrain, and in 2012, Bahrain’s investment arm, Mumtalakat Holding Company, raised around $1 billion in an Islamic bond issue on the Bursa Malaysia.
Malaysian construction companies are also performing well in Bahrain and have successfully delivered a number of large-scale and high profile projects including the Formula One circuit, the North Manama corridor project, the Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway, and the Bahrain City Centre.
Malakoff Corporation, Malaysia’s largest and one of Southeast Asia’s largest independent power producers has acquired a substantial stake in Bahrain’s Hidd Power Company as part of its global expansion and further highlighting the strength of the two nation’s investment relationship.
The Bahrain EDB has international offices based at the Bahrain Embassy in Delhi and Mumbai, which provide information and support to interested investors in the Asia region. Investors wanting more information about Bahrain can visit www.bahrain.com or contact Ms Dharmi Magdani, the EDB’s representative in South Asia, on dharmi.magdani@bahrainedb.com
 
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Hotel Paradiso Company Brings Theatrical Comedy to Bahrain

March 21, 2016

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Manama: International theatre group Familie Flöz will bring their unique masked comedy performance to Bahrain next week. The pool of theatre makers, who have performed their plays in 34 countries, will be showing “Hotel Paradiso” at the Cultural Hall on Sunday and Monday 27th and 28th of March.
Talented actors behind the masks perform a comical tale on the unusual events that occur at Hotel Paradiso, a resort high on the mountains run by a family who is struggling to keep the business alive. The comedy and adventure filled play unveils the stories of the chef, who is fond of cannibalism and the maid, who is obsessed with stealing valuables.
Hotel Paradiso show fully sold out to an audience  at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2015 for three consecutive weeks, prompting critics and observers to discover and admire their phenomenal theatrical work. Positive press reviews including The Guardian described the show as “splendid and immensely skillful character comedy”.
Launched in the late  nineties, Family Flöz gained global recognition for its unique expertise in theatre designers, actors, musicians, dancers, drama experts as well as outfit designers. Their unique and distinctive theatrical work has excelled in creating their characters and telling the story well. The group is dedicated  to re-exploring the roots of classical performing arts and tapping deep into the history of acting, poetry, and art .
The talented group gained recognition by participating in many performing arts festivals including Festival de Otoño in Spain in 1998 and Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2001. They also presented their work at the Festival d’Avignon in 2013 in France. The theatre company has been recognised with a number of international awards including Off Critic Prize in 2013 and Best Comedy in 2015 by Monica-Bleibtreu-Preis.
The Spring of Culture 2016, recognised as one of the most significant cultural events in Bahrain and an annual event by the UNESCO, is organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) in cooperation with the Economic Development Board (EDB), Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research, Al Bareh Art Gallery, Al Riwaq Art Space and La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art.
This festival, held from February to April, has gained popularity over the years for bringing together unique and talented artists from around the world as well as from Bahrain. The festival also contributes to Bahrain’s tourism sector, which is recognised as one of the main sectors the EDB looks to support as part of its development plans for the Kingdom.
Spring of Culture 2016 Gold sponsors are National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Huawei and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC). Silver sponsors are ALBA, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), Bahrain Duty Free and Bahrain Airport Services (BAS). The event is also supported by BMMI.
For the latest news and updates on events, follow the official Spring of Culture account @springofculture on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
The full details on the event and its activities are available on the website www.springofculture.org.
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Grammy Award Winning Singer and Songwriter Seal to Perform His Internationally Known Hits at Arad Fort

March 17, 2016

Manama: Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Seal is set to perform some of his renowned hits in Bahrain next week. The concert will be held at Arad Fort on Thursday March 24th as part of the Spring of Culture Festival, which attracts global artists and performers to the Kingdom.
London-born Seal is one of the most prominent faces in music, having won 4 Grammy Awards throughout his career. His inimitable voice was first heard on producer Adamski’s 1991 hit “Killer”, then he went on to release the single “Crazy” which reached the Top 10 of Billboard’s pop chart. Such successes led Seal to win the prestigious BRIT Award for “Best British Male” in 1992. The Single  “Kiss from a Rose” gained international fame as part of the Batman Forever movie soundtrack The song became a No. 1 pop and adult contemporary hit placing Seal into multi-platinum status.
Now an established superstar, with the number of worldwide sales of his eight studio albums exceeding 30 million, Seal also made a contribution to the movie Space Jam’s soundtrack in 1996 with the song “Fly Like an Eagle” reaching the pop and adult contemporary Top 10.
Commenting on his anticipated visit to Bahrain, Seal said:
“It’s one of the many perks of this job to see new places and experience new cultures.  But more importantly when you know songs you made have somehow found their way to the four corners of the earth and watch a crowd of entirely new faces sing a song that means everything to you, and in its own way now has a meaning of its own to them, there is no feeling like it.  I’m beyond excited for my first trip to Bahrain and to experience all it has to offer”.
The Spring of Culture 2016, recognised as one of the most significant cultural events in Bahrain, is organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) in cooperation with the Economic Development Board (EDB), Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research, Al Bareh Art Gallery, Al Riwaq Art Space and La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art.
The festival, held from February to April, has gained popularity over the years for bringing together unique and talented artists from around the world as well as from Bahrain. The festival also contributes to Bahrain’s tourism sector, which is recognised as one of the main sectors the EDB looks to support as part of its development plans for the Kingdom.
Spring of Culture 2016 Gold sponsors are National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Huawei and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC). Silver sponsors are ALBA, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), Bahrain Duty Free and Bahrain Airport Services (BAS). The event is also supported by BMMI.
For the latest news and updates on events, follow the official Spring of Culture account @springofculture on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
The full details on the event and its activities are available on the website www.springofculture.org.
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Orchestra de Piazza Vittorio to bring George Bizet’s Carmen to Bahrain

March 09, 2016

Manama: As part of the 2016 Spring of Culture activities, the Italian Orchestra de Piazza Vittoria will perform George Bizet’s famous opera, Carmen at Arad Fort on the 17th of March. This is the second performance by the group in the Kingdom, who in 2010 performed their interpretation of the Magic Flute, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The Italian group, formed in Piazza Vittorio, the square in Rome most known for its various cultural and musical performances, which includes artists from all over the world. Mario Tronco, a musician and filmmaker  formed the group with musicians from countries including, India, Brazil, Cuba, Argentina, Senegal, Tunis, and Italy, with the goal of rescuing the Apollo cinema, a classic structure which was going to be turned into a bingo hall.
The new take on the opera will be a collaborative effort by 23 musicians, dancers and singers from ten different countries, presenting the story to audiences through a diverse cast of characters. The show, subtitled in English, will cover the love story of a beautiful woman named Carmen.
The Spring of Culture 2016, recognised as one of the most significant cultural events in Bahrain, is organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) in cooperation with the Economic Development Board (EDB), Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research, Al Bareh Art Gallery, Al Riwaq Art Space and La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art.
This festival, held from February to April, has gained popularity over the years for bringing together unique and talented international and local artists. The festival also contributes to Bahrain’s tourism sector, which is recognised as one of the main sectors the EDB looks to support as part of its development plans for the Kingdom.
Spring of Culture 2016 Gold sponsors are National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Huawei and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC). Silver sponsors are ALBA, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), Bahrain Duty Free and Bahrain Airport Services (BAS). The event is also supported by BMMI.
For the latest news and updates on events, follow the official Spring of Culture account @springofculture on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
The full details on the event and its activities are available on the website www.springofculture.org.
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Renowned International Dance Company Akhram Khan to Perform in Bahrain

March 07, 2016

Manama: International dance group Akram Khan will be performing a one fo a kind Indian dance show in Bahrain this weekend. The performance, Kaash, combines tradition and modernity in a unique artistic performance to be held in Arad Fort on Friday, March 11th.

Since its first breakthrough in 1999 from Queen Elizabeth’s Theatre in London, Akram Khan continued to work with talents such as Anish Kapoor and Nitin Sawhney and together went on a journey to build bridges between the world of contemporary dance and the world of Indian classical dance (Kathak). The gifted dancer has through his career received various international dance awards, including the Fred and Adele Astaire Award for Best choreographer in a feature film for Desert Dancer, and has established his copmapny which is now “one of the foremost innovative dance companies in the world”.
The famous band gained international recognition through major events around the world, most notably during their participation in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Additionally, Khan has received numerous awards throughout his career including the Laurence Oliver Award, The Bessie Award (New York Dance and Performance Award), the Danza and Danza Award in 2010 from Bolzano, Italy, and the Helpmann award in Sydney, Australia in 2007 for “Best Choreography in a Ballet or Dance Work”. Most recently in 2015 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of London in music, and in 2010 Roehampton University also awarded him with an honorary doctorate.
The Spring of Culture 2016, recognised as one of the most significant cultural events in Bahrain, is organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) in cooperation with the Economic Development Board (EDB), Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research, Al Bareh Art Gallery, Al Riwaq Art Space and La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art.
This festival, held from February to April, has gained popularity over the years for bringing together unique and talented artists from around the world as well as in Bahrain. The festival also contributes to Bahrain’s tourism sector, which is recognised as one of the main sectors the EDB looks to support as part of its development plans for the Kingdom.
Spring of Culture 2016 Gold sponsors are National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Huawei and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC). Silver sponsors are ALBA, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), Bahrain Duty Free and Bahrain Airport Services (BAS). The event is also supported by BMMI.
For the latest news and updates on events, follow the official Spring of Culture account @springofculture on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
The full details on the event and its activities are available on the website www.springofculture.org.
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Jazz sensation Gregory Porter to open Spring of Culture performances at Arad Fort

March 01, 2016

Manama: Grammy award-winner Gregory Porter will perform some of his jazz tunes at Arad Fort this weekend. The American jazz music star, songwriter, and actor is set to bring his global music to the Kingdom on Saturday March 5.

Porter’s strong and distinctive performance has deeply contributed to the emerging art since its inception, and has attracted the attention of a large audience due to the numerous prestigious awards he has won in the world of jazz. Such awards include the Jazz FM Award that he has won for the second time, awarding him the title of “International Jazz Artist of the Year”. Porter was also awarded a Grammy for “Best Vocal Performance for Jazz” in 2014 and gained recognition for his album “Liquid Spirit”.
Gregory Porter was born and raised in California, USA. As a child he admired the work of the late legend Nat King Cole and from that admiration his passion for music grew. He later started to work and cooperate with many of the brightest jazz musicians like Kamau Kenyatta and Hubert Laws, who helped him enrich his artistic career. This in turn led him to release his albums “Water”, “Be Good”, and “Liquid Spirit” and ultimately reach stardom.
The Spring of Culture 2016, recognised as one of the most significant cultural events in Bahrain, is organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) in cooperation with the Economic Development Board (EDB), Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research, Al Bareh Art Gallery, Al Riwaq Art Space and La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art. The festival attracts the participation of various international artists as well as Bahraini talents and brings in crowds from the region, contributing to the growth of the tourism sector.
Spring of Culture 2016 Gold sponsors are National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Huawei and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC). Silver sponsors are ALBA, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), Bahrain Duty Free and Bahrain Airport Services (BAS). The event is also supported by BMMI.
Tickets for the shows will be sold at the festival kiosk located near gate 1 at Bahrain City Centre or online at www.springofculture.org . The public may also browse the website or call the festival hotline +973 39900630 for more information about the schedule of events.
For the latest news and updates on events, follow the official Spring of Culture account @springofculture on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
The full details on the event and its activities are available on the website www.springofculture.org.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities – Media Center
T:   17298811
M: 36929740
E: elie.flouty@culture.gov.bh

Delegation promotes Bahrain's tourism sector in India

February 29, 2016

Manama: The Economic Development Board (EDB) is leading a delegation to India to promote the Kingdom to destination managements companies (DMC), tour operators, and event organisers. The delegation includes local stakeholders in the tourism sector Gulf Air and @Bahrain.
The delegation will visit Delhi and Mumbai to present Bahrain’s unique tourism value proposition to leading businesses in India’s travel sector. As part of this, the delegation will also hold informal networking sessions that will enable Indian tour operators to meet their Bahraini counterparts and explore new business ventures in the Kingdom. Representatives from the EDB will also conduct a briefing workshop for the delegation where they will discuss best practices in attracting clients from India as well as ways of developing products and services that cater to this vast market.
Jerad Bachar, Executive Director – Tourism & Leisure, Bahrain EDB, said:
“With its rich history and culture, attractive liberal lifestyle, comprehensive list of international events taking place throughout the year, and proximity to India, Bahrain has a lot to offer visitors from the subcontinent. Bahrain has economic, political and cultural ties with India that stretch back thousands of years. This shared history means that Bahrain is a natural choice for Indians looking to experience and enjoy Middle Eastern culture hospitality.
“We look forward to meeting with some of India’s leading tour operators and helping them to launch new business ventures in the Kingdom.”
Bahrain hosts an array of international events annually that attract visitors from the region, such as the ‘Spring of Culture’, and ‘Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix’.
Only a three and half hour flight away, Bahrain is connected to India with 70 flights a week and visitors from the subcontinent to Bahrain have been steadily increasing every year. In 2015, nearly 1.2 million visitors from India arrived in the Kingdom. Today, there are over 350,000 Indians living and working in Bahrain, and the Indian community has 32 registered and 68 unregistered socio-cultural organisations in the Kingdom.
India has become one of the world’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets, with leisure travel and business events (Meetings, Incentives, Congresses and Exhibitions) making up the largest contributors to India’s outbound tourism. The EDB is leveraging the strength of its India based offices to establish partnerships between Bahrain based companies and India’s outbound tour operators and event organisers in order to increase business from the subcontinent.
Bahrain’s tourism revenues grew by 17.4% between 2013 and 2014 with around 13.2 million people choosing to visit the Kingdom in 2015. The hotels and restaurants sector was the fastest growing sector in 2014, expanding by 10%. In total, the tourism sector contributes around 4.1% to Bahrain’s GDP.
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International Acts Performing Free (Pop Up) Outdoor Shows Across Bahrain In a first of its Kind Initiative in Bahrain

February 28, 2016

Manama: As part of the 2016 Spring of Culture activities, a number of global acts and artists will be performing free outdoor art shows across Bahrain in a number of venues. This is the first initiative of is kind for the Kingdom, and will allow for increased participation of various local communities in the events of the 2016 Spring of Culture festival.

The performances, which are free to view by the public, will be performed at the Bahrain City Center, Adliya, the Bahrain Fort, Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Park in Hidd, Arad Fort and Riffa.
Performances held between the 3rd and 5th of March:
  • Dutch artist Braam Graafland, who through a merger of culinary, musical, and theatrical arts will entertain audiences through cooking and music
  • Street theatre performances of ‘The Yelling Kitchen Prince’

Performances held between the 9th and 12th of March:

  • Hungarian duo and contemporary media artists Katalin Lengyel & Szabolcs Toth-zs will showcase their technical skills in a street art dancing “Graffiti” show, combining media and dance in a symbolic performance art piece

Performances held between the 24th and 26th of March:

  • Egyptian Origami artist, Oussama Helmy will take audiences on a journey rich with stories and tales through paper art
Performances held between the 10th and 11th of April:
  • Theater goers will be able to enjoy storytelling from Fatima Sharaf El Din, an award winning writer whose work has been translated into many languages across the globe. Through a collaboration with Hussam Abed, she will bring her stories to life with a shadow performance on the 10th and a puppet show on the 11th.
The 2016 edition of the Spring of Culture festival is organized by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) in collaboration with the Economic Development Board (EDB), Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research, Al Bareh Art Gallery, Al Riwaq Art Space and La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art.
The Spring of Culture Gold sponsors for this year are National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Huawei and Bahrain Airport Company. Silver sponsors are ALBA, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, Bahrain Duty Free and Bahrain Airport Services (BAS). The event is also supported by BMMI.
For the latest news and updates on events, follow the official account @springofculture on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
For more information on the dates and timing of the events, please visit the official website www.springofculture.org.
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For More Information, Please Call:
Bahrain Economic Development Board
Tel: +973 17589966
E-mail: NC@BahrainEDB.com

Registration open to the public for art and dance workshops

February 24, 2016

Manama: As part of the Spring of Culture 2016 programme, the Economic Development Board (EDB) is organising five workshops dedicated to encourage arts and culture among the public for various age groups.

The workshops will be held from February to April and include dance performance lessons, handicrafts, theatre and creative writing, all supervised by international artists taking part in this year’s festival.
The first workshop, titled Motion of Art, will be held on February 27th, by Bahraini Graffiti artist Huvil which will cover the basic skills of the expressive street art. On March 11, BANDART will be giving a new media and dance workshop, using computer technology while Hotel Paradiso troupe will provide a two-hour workshop for participants to encounter the different masks of the show and to create their own characters on March 26th.
The members of Pirates of the Carabina contemporary circus company will host a workshop on the wonders of acrobats on April 8th at Arad Fort, while a two-day workshop by artist Husam Abed will teach 12 to 15 years old to make a wonder box and storytelling skills.
For more information on the workshops or to register, please visit the official Spring of Culture website www.springofculture.org.
The Spring of Culture 2016 is organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) in cooperation with the Economic Development Board (EDB), Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research, Al Bareh Art Gallery, Al Riwaq Art Space and La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art.
Spring of Culture Gold sponsors for this year are National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Huwaei and Bahrain Airport Company. Silver sponsors are ALBA, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, Bahrain Duty Free and Bahrain Airport Services (BAS). The event is also supported by BMMI.
For the latest news and updates on events, follow the official Spring of Culture account @springofculture on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
For more information on the festival and the programme, visit the official website www.springofculture.org
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For More Information:
Bahrain Economic Development Board
Tel: +973 17589966
E-mail: NC@BahrainEDB.com
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