Bahrain, Japan to set up Center for Gulf Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

MANAMA: Bahrain and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to set up the Bahrain Center for Arabian Gulf Archaeology and Cultural Heritage.

The MoU aims to establish a dedicated research, studies and training center to preserve, document and transmit the cultural heritage of the Gulf States to future generations.

The center will work through several programs to support research in archaeology and cultural heritage in the region and document, preserve and interpret heritage, including World Heritage sites and museum collections.

It will also focus on training Bahrainis in cultural resource management, and on expanding the network of experts in archaeology, museum science and heritage.

The MoU was announced at a special ceremony attended by Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the head of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, Japan’s Ambassador to Bahrain, Asako Okai, and Professor Tomoda Masahiko, and Deputy Director General of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN).

Shaikh Khalifa welcomed the establishment of the center, noting that it reflects a deep commitment to preserving the cultural heritage of Bahrain and the region, and emphasizes the need to document this rich heritage within an integrated academic and scientific framework.

The cooperation with the Tokyo National Institute and Kanazawa University is a qualitative step to enhance the preservation of the Gulf cultural heritage by applying the best scientific practices and benefiting from Japan’s unique scientific and practical expertise in this field, which supports the Authority’s long history of working on many archaeological excavation and preservation projects in Bahrain, he added.

Ambassador Okai said that the memorandum reflects the shared vision between the two countries on the importance of preserving cultural heritage and that the ambitious project enhances academic cooperation between the two countries.

Stressing the depth of historical relations between Bahrain and Japan, she expressed hope the Bahrain Center for Gulf Archaeology will become a reference for all workers and experts in the region in the important heritage field.

Professor Masahiko the agreement represents an important step towards strengthening cooperation between the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties and the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities.

This initiative represents a great opportunity to deepen the partnership between Japan and Bahrain, and to continue the joint programs to preserve and document the cultural heritage of the Gulf States, he said.

“We are confident that the center will make significant contributions, not only to Bahrain, but also to the entire Gulf region, by supporting research, developing expertise, and training local cadres at the highest levels in the field of cultural heritage management and preservation,” he said.

In 2022, TOBUNKEN visited Bahrain and discussed with the local authorities starting a new cooperation project with the Bahrain National Museum.

The team was requested support establishing conservation techniques for historically valuable gravestones of the early Islamic period, which were left in mosques, shrines, and graveyards, and made onsite surveys on the status of ruins targeted in this cooperation project.