The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), in coordination with the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, is organising a series of cultural events to mark World Post Day, observed annually on October 9.
The events begin Thursday, October 8, at the Post Museum and will continue every Saturday until October 24, with morning and evening sessions held at the Post Museum and the Bahrain National Museum.
The World Post Day programme highlights the role and importance of postal services in everyday life. It includes guided tours of the Post Museum in Arabic and English, alongside art and interactive workshops on postcard design and drawing. Participants will also have the opportunity to write letters by hand and explore the art of correspondence, with activities led by Zainab Al Aali and Fatima Hassan. The programme also features a lecture by Younis Hashem Al Kooheji, President of the Bahrain Philatelic Society.
The programme also includes a special visit to the Bahrain Post Sorting Centre in Hidd, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s main postal operations hub. The centre was designed to meet sustainable green building standards, incorporating energy and water conservation measures to help protect the environment and natural resources. It provides a range of services, including receiving and sorting incoming and outgoing mail and parcels, as well as handling the relevant customs procedures.
The World Post Day events aim to introduce participants to the history of postal services and their role in communication, highlight their cultural and heritage significance, and revive the tradition of letter writing. Postal clubs play an important role in preserving this tradition by encouraging people to send letters through traditional postboxes and keeping alive the distinctive practices associated with correspondence, from the beauty of handwriting and the choice of stationery to collecting distinctive postage stamps.
The history of postal services in the Kingdom of Bahrain dates back to the reign of His Highness Shaikh Isa Al Kabeer, Ruler of Bahrain and its Dependencies, who laid the foundations of the modern state and led the development of its institutions. During his reign, the first post office opened in Manama in 1884, providing a means of organising official and commercial correspondence. His Majesty also placed particular emphasis on developing postal services and strengthening Bahrain’s connections with regional and international postal networks.
World Post Day is observed annually to commemorate the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland. Countries around the world mark the occasion through educational programmes and activities highlighting the role and functions of postal services, raising awareness of their services and contributions to communication between individuals and communities.
For further details on events and schedules, follow the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities on social media at @culturebah.