Bahrain revives traditional craft through handicrafts festival
Residents and visitors to Bahrain were given a glimpse of the region's rich heritage in art and craft during the fourth edition of the ‘Hurafuna’ Handicrafts Festival, which ran for five days from March 28 to April 1.
Bahraini and Omani craftsmen showcased and sold various unique handicrafts and traditional Omani products such as silver, copper and wooden crafting, palm tree industries, textile, perfume and Bukhoor making in addition to local products like hand-woven baskets, traditional musical instruments, wooden boxes, pottery, model ships and much more.
The festival was held in conjunction with the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, the major annual international event held in the kingdom.
A new mobile app was also launched on the sidelines of the festival, providing a comprehensive online platform that allows users to preview all the handicrafts products and order the products online and have them delivered through the app ‘Bahrain Handicrafts’. During the festival, visitors enjoyed a variety of entertainments such as family activities as well as performances by traditional Bahraini bands.
The chief executive officer of BTEA, Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, said: “We are delighted to announce the conclusion of the fourth edition of the festival, which gave Bahraini and Omani craftsmen a platform to showcase their products. We are also pleased to launch the new mobile app for Bahraini crafts which will help to promote these products to a bigger audience and while keeping up with the latest technologies at the same time.”
“The Fourth edition of the festival is a testament to BTEA’s commitment to develop the traditional handicrafts industry in the Kingdom. This is part of our continuous efforts to enhance handicrafts and ensure this sector’s growth and sustainability. Bahrain Handicrafts’ app is an online store and a platform to show our handicrafts to the world and preserve them for future generations. The authority also supports handicraftsmen to grow by developing their skills through training course throughout the year and other similar initiatives,” he added.
Hosting the festival is in line with BTEA's long-term strategy to further develop the kingdom's tourism sector on a regional and international level under the slogan 'Ours.Yours.', which contributes towards the Kingdom's economy and the Economic Vision 2030. - TradeArabia News Service