Bahrain Marks Journalism Milestone; Nation Honours 25 Years of Journalism

• Press pioneers to be honoured

• Silver Jubilee marked Saturday
• Royal support reaffirmed

You Know What:
The Bahrain Journalists Association was one of the first independent media bodies in the GCC to introduce professional training programmes for journalists as early as 2001.

Mahir Haneef
TDT| Manama

Bahrain will honour its pioneering press figures this Saturday evening as the Bahrain Journalists Association (BJA) marks its 25th anniversary with an official ceremony under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The Silver Jubilee celebration will shine a spotlight on the contributions of the founding generation of journalists who established the association in March 2000, and who helped shape Bahrain’s professional media landscape over the past two and a half decades.

Founders honoured

The event will pay tribute to several prominent Bahraini figures who played a central role in transforming the idea of the association into a functioning institution dedicated to protecting journalists' rights and upholding standards of professionalism, independence, and organisational integrity in journalism.

Among those to be honoured are Nabeel bin Yaqub Al-Hamar, Dr. Hilal Al Shaiji, Isa Al Shaiji, Anwar Abdulrahman, Ali Sayyar, Ahmed Salman Kamal, Ebrahim Bashmi, Ali Saleh, Khalid Rashid Al Zayani, Saeed Mohammed, Abdullah Al Ayoobi, and Abdullah Salman.

Royal support

Chairman of the Association, Isa Al Shaiji, expressed deep appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for the consistent support extended to the national press since the beginning of his reign. He also thanked HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for his continued backing and for personally patronising the Jubilee event and the Prime Minister’s Award for Journalism.

Al Shaiji described the occasion as a “historic milestone” for Bahraini journalism, symbolising the evolution of media as a respected partner in the Kingdom’s development.

Legacy and future

The celebration will also recognise entities and companies that supported the BJA’s initiatives over the years, contributing to the association’s sustainability and its mission to develop journalism in Bahrain.

In addition to formal speeches, the programme will feature a documentary highlighting the BJA’s journey, offering a look back at how the organisation has evolved alongside the Kingdom’s own transformation.