Bahrain hosts heritage festival

In a bid to keep traditions and cultures alive, Bahrain is hosting a festival of folklore and arts for the entire month of May.

Museums and exhibition centers in the capital of Manama are the venues for a series of events and performances, casting the spotlight on traditional storytelling in the country.

"The main thing of this festival is to teach children how to protect the intangible stories and folk tales and fairy tales that we have in our nation in Bahrain, and that's why we try to record it in some stories, some plays and songs. We also try to write a book about the old heritage folks in Bahrain," Mohammed al-Sulaiti, Director of Archaeology and Heritage at the Ministry of Culture and Education.

Under the title “Folk Tales: Sea, Land and City,” the festival exhibits photographs and films which allow locals as well as foreigners to gain insight into Bahrain’s past, while festival activities commemorate the country’s heritage.

Despite the ongoing tension in the country, organizers hope to attract local and foreign visitors to the event to watch performances by traditional dancers and basket weavers work on their traditional crafts, as well as listen to old Bahraini fishing songs.

Al-Sulaiti said the festival, which is also a part of a campaign in marking Manama as the Arab Capital of Culture 2012, aims to pass Bahraini culture onto future generations as well as give local artisans an opportunity to showcase their talents.