19 August 2017
Bahrain Culture Authority’s Open Call for Submissions “Bahrain Pearl Award” until end of December 2017
Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) has officially launched on 20 August until end of December 2017, open call for submissions for “Bahrain Pearl Award”, the late social work pioneer Shaikha Lulwa bint Mohammed Al Khalifa. Indeed, Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities launched the Pearl of Bahrain Award last April as a tribute to the contribution of Shaikha Lulwa bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, pioneer of social work in Bahrain. The Award is meant to honor her long philanthropist actions and commemorate her indefinite humanitarian care and help to the needy, mothers and children.
BACA has pointed out that, dedicated to the contributions of Shaikha Lulwa bint Mohammed Al Khalifa in the field of social work, the Pearl of Bahrain Award will be officially launched at this year’s fair and the first winner will be announced in the next edition to be held in 2018. Bahrain Pearl Award will acknowledge writers and researchers who contribute through their writings to developing their communities and disseminating enlightened thought. The award will acknowledge writers and researchers, who help developing communities through their writings by highlighting universal humane values such as caring, praise the voluntary effort to increase the well-being of humankind, which it includes giving of money, time, or other resources to charitable organizations. Writers should also encourage culture of tolerance, respect to mothers and children, spreading awareness about humanitarian work, encourage individuals and corporations to sponsor and support literature uplifting humane values and helping anyone to go up the social and cultural ladder in all fields.
With regard to the requirements for participation, Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities would like to inform everyone that it is open for all, whether individuals or institutions. Participants are requested to present a written material ( book) dealing with one of the social service themes, that encourage awareness, openness, ways of developing Arab societies, intellectually, culturally and civism. Nominated works should not be published within the previous two years (from the date of the deadline of accepting nominations), and should not have won any Arab award. The writer should submit a published book written in classical Arabic and should be published during 2016-2017.
Participants may send a hard copy of their documents via post to Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities’ P.O.Box address No 2199 attached with a CV. A special award form should be filled and e-mailed to the following website before 31 December 2017: www.culture.gov.bh . Sending participations by post will be available until end of January 2018.
The first edition of the prize will be presented in 2018 to coincide with the completion of the Pearl Trail, which features on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, the 18th International Book Fair and Muharraq, Capital of Islamic Culture 2018 Event.
Worth to mention that the Late Sheikha Lulwa bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, has been a wholehearted aficionado of broadening voluntary activities since her youth and devoted herself to advancing their rights and increasing their level of engagement in society. She invested a great deal of energy in the establishment of Bahrain’s first NGO – the Bahrain Children & Mothers Welfare Society – in 1953.Since it was founded, the Association has helped encourage women to take on leadership positions in their communities and has provided assistance to patients, orphans, handicapped, elderly homes and material support for needy families. As President, Sheikha Lulwa ensured that women, children and men who helped promote and enhance her humanitarian initiatives were honored. She promoted voluntary work and solidarity in the community through such recognition as well as governmental support by expressing her constant gratitude.
Sheikha Lulwa has hosted a number of events to raise awareness about women’s and children’s rights in Bahrain and has greatly advanced the movement by placing it at the forefront of national issues. In honor of her hard work and perseverance over the last 50 years, Sheikha Lulwa was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 by the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Women. She was honored by the First Class Medal of Merit Award by His Majesty, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, King of Bahrain, May God Protect Him, Medal of Voluntary Work by Emirates’ Arab World Women Social Work Pioneers Awards. The Late Sheikha Lulwa Al-Khalifa Bint Mohammad Bin Abdullah bin Isa Al-Khalifa also has helped to found serve underprivileged families and disabled children through the Hope Institute for Special Education 1977 and inaugurated the 1st Early Intervention Center for children with mental difficulties in 1982 and one of the founders of Gulf Disability Society and honored by Emirates as a leading pioneer in the social work as part of the UAE Gulf Social Work Female Pioneers.
