November 2016 55 www.bahrainthismonth.com the British company. Of course, there were already options with Gulf Air but we’re hopeful there will now be interest from around the region.” And, perhaps surprisingly, the UK’s property sector looks set to benefit from the historically strong ties. “Because Bahrain, and the Bahrain business community in particular, knows the UK economy and market, there’s been interest from contacts in the property sector,” says the Ambassador. “There’s actually been a great upsurge in interest. It’s a really good sign for us [Britain] that discerning Bahraini investors don’t see a risk around Brexit and value in property market investment.” In terms of culture and education, the anniversary celebrations have given opportunities for both Bahrainis and expats alike to connect with the UK. Never more so than in April when Shakespeare’s Hamlet was performed at the Cultural Hall by a British touring company taking the production to virtually every country around the world. Smiling, His Excellency recalls: “It was sold out and we had 150 people watching in the foyer via live link. We were country 157 and I said to the touring group beforehand ‘I think you’ll find the audience here very knowledgeable’. Afterwards they were amazed to find the knowledge and enthusiasm amongst the local audience – people were laughing at the jokes before they’d got to the punch lines!” On the education side, a symposium on science has brought forth the possibility of joint research agreements with British universities, and the British Higher Education Academy recognised the University of Bahrain as outstanding in the region for its quality of teaching. In fact, education, history and culture met with the display of a WWII Spitfire aircraft which has been at Bahrain National Museum for most of the year. The fighter plane is decked out in the livery of a similar aircraft financed by the island’s inhabitants to help the British war effort and, after learning the ropes from the engineers of the UK’s Royal Air Force Museum, a team of students from Bahrain Polytechnic has been involved in dismantling and reassembling the plane when it has been moved around the island for various events. “In the course of one week in November, we expect around 900 children to see the Spitfire and also take part in science, technology and maths workshops. It’s such a perfect design that it’s inspirational in teaching these subjects,” says His Excellency. “And, of course, it’s painted in the colours of one of the planes funded by Bahrain [which along with other Gulf countries financed the purchase of 11 Spitfires during the Second World War]. We’re really pleased with the way this has helped a new generation of Bahrainis understand this element of Bahrain’s support for Britain all those years ago. The number of people who’ve come to see not just this, but the timeline of Bahraini-British aviation relations, has been incredible and I can’t express strongly enough my gratitude to the museum and others, who made the exhibition happen with just three months’ notice.” The ambassador has attended various celebratory events throughout the year.
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