Bahrain Bay will be the new venue for the annual Bahrain For All festival, which will bring together more than 50,000 people from over 40 local and expatriate communities to showcase their respective cultures. Held under the theme Leaving Nobody Behind, this year’s event will take place on Thursday 6th and Friday, 7th February on the 7,000 sqm site, which will house more than 250 market stalls and a 128 sqm stage that will feature performances by the Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Filipino, Jordanian, Thai, Bangladeshi, and Egyptian communities, among others. Bahrain For All will be supported by the Capital Governorate and the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, His Excellency Amin El Sharkawi, with logistical support provided by the Office of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister, Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
Organiser Nivedita Dhadphale said: “For the first time, this year’s Bahrain For All festival will be held in Bahrain Bay, a location that offers excellent access, ample parking, and gorgeous views of the sea. It presents a modern face of Bahrain, which is in line with our mission to showcase the multicultural, cosmopolitan, and tolerant nature of Bahraini society. We are deeply grateful to the management team of Bahrain Bay who have been extremely cooperative.”
The event, now in its ninth year, gives Bahrain’s communities the opportunity to learn about each other’s’ customs and traditions, sample each other’s’ cuisines, and watch performances highlighting what makes each of them unique. It also supports local entrepreneurs, with market stalls dedicated to Bahraini businesses and productive families. The event line-up also features live performances by several local DJs and emcees, with a line up to be announced soon. Children with special needs, women’s groups, and senior citizens’ societies are invited every year to promote the festival’s message of inclusion for all. The Ministry of Interior, this year celebrating 100 years of Bahrain Police, has offered its popular Police Band, as well as a horse parade.
Dhadphale explained that the theme of this year’s event aims to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals of inclusion and inclusivity: “Our theme Leaving Nobody Behind sends the message that everybody, no matter their background, gender, race, nationality, ability or faith, have a role to play in Bahrain’s story. We have taken great care to include all of Bahrain’s communities every year since we launched Bahrain For All in 2013. The event has grown beyond our wildest predictions, and has been attracting larger crowds every time.”