MPs approve plan to run Heritage Village all year

TDT | Manama

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A plan to turn Bahrain’s Heritage Village into a filming-friendly, year-round venue was approved by Parliament yesterday, with MPs backing upgrades meant to widen events and draw in private-sector money.

The proposal, put forward by MP Dr Maryam Al Dhaen, calls for work to the site so it can receive visitors in every season, rather than coming to life mainly during the annual festival held as part of the Celebrate Bahrain season.

Speaking during the debate, Dr Al Dhaen described the village as “a distinctive civilised landmark for the Kingdom of Bahrain” and said it had already shown what it can do when it is put to use.

Success

She told MPs it had “attracted production companies to film many television series” and pointed to what she called “an unrivalled success” in staging the National Days festival during Celebrate Bahrain.

MP Al Dhaen said the goal was to “turn it from a seasonal site into an active tourist and cultural destination throughout the year”, by upgrading facilities, widening the range of activities and drawing in private investment.

The proposal also calls for more cultural, educational and artistic events for different age groups, alongside heritage festivals that present Bahrain’s identity and support tourism.

It urges closer work between the public sector and private firms to lift services at the site and secure an economic return over time.

Proposal

Ideas linked to the proposal include a joint Gulf heritage festival, with craftspeople, exhibitions and sales of traditional goods, as well as workshops and displays led by local and overseas artists drawing on Bahraini heritage.

It also seeks regular school visits, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, using interactive sessions to teach pupils about Bahrain’s history, and it calls for the village to be made available for filming and television production.