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History
THE
BAHRAIN SOCIETY
...was founded in 1971, after the State of Bahrain became fully
independent, a Treaty of Friendship with the United Kingdom replacing the
Treaty of Protection which had defined relations between the two nations
since the middle of the nineteenth century.
The discovery of oil in the 1930s accelerated
the interest and involvement of British citizens in the affairs of Bahrain
and contributed to the increasing development of the State as the
commercial, business and financial centre of the Gulf. After the Second
World War more and more British people came to live and work in Bahrain and
the close ties which had for long been sustained between the two
communities, Bahraini and British, were further strengthened.
Bahrain rapidly became the communications centre
of the Gulf and especially the focus of the west-east aviation routes that
rapidly expanded in the 1950s and 60s, from the early days of civil aviation
that dated back to the 1930s in Bahrain. Imperial Airways had flown
scheduled flights to and from Bahrain from the 1930. British Overseas
Airways continued and expanded this service and Bahrain became one of its
most important staging posts, with a consequent increase in the number of
British people who came to know and love Bahrain and its people. When Gulf
Aviation (now GulfAir) was formed as the National Airline, British Airways
became a partner with the Bahrain Government until its eventual
independence.
Over the years, the numbers of British people
who came to regard Bahrain as their second home became significant. When
Bahrain became an independent state, with its own diplomatic representation,
membership of the United Nations and of all the principal international
bodies that were established in the post-war period, it was felt appropriate
to form a Friendship Society, to provide a forum for Bahrainis and British
people with particular interests in Bahrain to meet and to maintain their
friendships through a London presence. So the Bahrain Society was formed.
From the outset the Society was led by
distinguished figures who had served in Bahrain, principally from the
Foreign Service. The first Chairman was Charles Gault, who had been
Political Agent when Bahrain was still technically a Protectorate. When the
Agency became an Embassy, after 1971 the Society’s Chairmen included Sir
George Middleton political resident in the Gulf, E.W. (Jock) Given and Sir Harold Walker,
both of whom had
been British Ambassador to Bahrain. Michael Rice CMG became Chairman in
1999. Many years connection with Bahrain in political and information
fields and also in the promotion of the Kingdom’s archaeology gave him an
invaluable insight to the Islands history. He planned the first museum in
Bahrain and others throughout the Arabian Peninsula and is author of books
on Near Eastern archaeology. For his services to Bahrain he was awarded the
Order of Bahrain (First Class) in 2003.
The Ambassador of Bahrain in London of the day
is always the Society’s President; the first President was H.E. Shaikh
Sulman bin Daij Al-Khalifa, who played a major part in the Society’s
foundation. The relationship between the Society and the Embassy has always
remained close. The first Patron of the Society was the Ruler of Bahrain at
the time of the Society’s foundation, His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Sulman
Al-Khalifa, who assumed the title of Amir after Independence. Today the
Patron is His Majesty King Hamed bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the King of Bahrain.
The Society’s year consists of early-evening
meetings held in London during the winter and Spring, at which distinguished
guests are invited to speak on subjects generally related to Bahrain and to
the Members’ interests. These meetings have always been very popular and
provide a regular opportunity for friends to meet and socialise. An eagerly
awaited annual event has always been the Reception held in London for
Members of the Society and hosted by the Society President
An Annual Dinner takes place, usually in the
winter months and is also one of the major high-lights of the year. It has
become the practice for a distinguished British guest to be matched by his
opposite number from Bahrain. From time to time the Society organises visits
to Bahrain; these occasions are very popular with members and are notable
for the warmth of the reception and hospitality that Bahrain extends when
the Society is its guest.
The Bahrain Society has supported a number of
important charitable and cultural events that have taken place in London,
including supporting Bahraini students studying at British academic
institutions. It was also one of the principal sponsors of the highly
successful exhibition, ‘Traces of Paradise: The Archaeology of Bahrain 2500
BC to 300 AD’, held in the Brunei Gallery, at the School of Oriental and
African Studies, University College London.
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