Week 13 Activities Conclude with Large Public Turnout

»Ithra Youth« Showcases 10 Countries at Al Bastah Market 3

The Southern Governorate concluded the activities of the 13th week of Al Bastah Market 3 at the Bahrain International Circuit amid a large public turnout, with the participation of more than 70 exhibitors representing productive families, owners of small and medium-sized businesses, craftspeople, and a number of bodies supporting national initiatives and community events. AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation took part through its Ithra Youth Programme, showcasing 10 countries: Malaysia, France, the Sultanate of Oman, Turkey, Germany, India, Egypt, Russia, Japan and Indonesia.

Al Bastah Market 3 is being held for the third consecutive year under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, His Majesty the King's Representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee.

This week's edition of Al Bastah Market featured the participation of AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation, which presented the Ithra Youth Programme with the involvement of 90 female students and 80 male students from various schools across Bahrain, introducing visitors to a number of countries, namely Malaysia, France, the Sultanate of Oman, Turkey, Germany, India, Egypt, Russia, Japan and Indonesia.

The programme aims to promote and instil educational values that help build and develop life skills and leadership qualities among Bahraini youth, and to nurture their skills and develop their intellectual, mental and physical abilities and talents so that they become capable of serving their community and their country.

The market was visited by Her Highness Shaikha Zain bint Khalid Al Khalifa, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation, Shaikha Najla bint Hamad bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Vice Chairperson of AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation, and Shaikha Hala bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, member of the Board of Trustees of AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation, alongside a number of ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The folk art performances were varied, as the Ahmed Folk Arts Band presented heritage pieces of the traditional Al Jarba art, while the Bu Salman Folk Band performed melodies of the Bahraini Liwa art. The audience enjoyed these heritage performances, which express a distinctive cultural legacy of the Kingdom of Bahrain bearing a local, traditional character, in addition to the variety of traditional games at Al Bastah Market, which reflected the history and civilisation of the Kingdom of Bahrain and sought to acquaint the public with this rich and diverse heritage.

Al Bastah Market 3 also welcomed a number of delegations from the Gulf Cooperation Council states taking part in the Gulf Traffic Week activities. The delegations toured the market's main sections and events and praised its excellent organisation and the developmental objectives pursued by those behind the Al Bastah Market project, calling for benefiting from the Bahraini experience in enriching community development and partnership with the private sector in order to achieve the goals to which Al Bastah Market aspires.

The Southern Governorate organises Al Bastah Market for the third consecutive year in partnership with a number of local and international entities, namely Tamkeen, the National Initiative for the Development of the Agricultural Sector, the Bahrain International Circuit, the Southern Governorate Police Directorate, the Southern Area Municipality, the Security Media Directorate at the Ministry of Interior, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Information Affairs Authority, Zajel Press Ltd., the Bahrain National Gas Company (Banagas), the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), Bahrain Islamic Bank and Al Dur Power and Water Company.

Al Bastah Market seeks to achieve a set of developmental objectives, including supporting and developing private sector enterprises and making the sector the main driver of economic development, targeting start-ups, small and micro enterprises as well as farmers and related sectors and limited-income productive families, offering locally grown produce in addition to home-made products to the public in public spaces, contributing to facilitating communication between producers, consumers and the community, educating consumers about the sustainability of recycled products and the true cost of imported goods, and creating a platform for selling recycled, environmentally friendly or organic products.

The Southern Governorate continues to hold Al Bastah Market on a weekly basis every Friday and Saturday from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm until 28 March 2015, with the 14th week of Al Bastah Market scheduled for Friday and Saturday, 20 and 21 March.

The Southern Governorate invited citizens, residents and visitors to the Kingdom to visit Al Bastah Market with their families and take part in its family shopping atmosphere.