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Minister of Culture Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa was onboard Gulf Air's inaugural flight to Moscow on 28th October 2014. H.E Shaikha Mai affirmed Bahrain's constant keenness to extend bridges of cooperation with all countries, noting that the launch of Gulf Air's new route to Moscow is one of the outcomes of the visit of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to Russia. Onboard the inaugural flight to Moscow, Her Excellency Sh. Mai and Her Excellency Mrs. Sameera bint Rajab, Minister of State for Information Affairs were accompanied by Gulf Air 's Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Maher Salman Al Musallam and H.E. Mr. Victor Smirnov Russian Ambassador to Bahrain alongside senior members from the airline and regional journalists who were met by Domodedovo International Airport and Russian media representatives upon landing in Moscow.

"The air bridge completes the cultural bridge, consolidated by HM the King's recent visit to Russia," H.E said. She asserted that Gulf Air’s direct flights to Moscow would enhance tourism, cultural and civilizational exchange between the two friendly countries. Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, launched on 28th October 2014 its four weekly direct services to the Russian capital city of Moscow

Commenting on the launch of Gulf Air 's newest destination, Mr. Maher Salman Al Musallam, the airline Acting Chief Executive Officer, commented, "I am delighted Gulf Air is directly connecting Moscow and Bahrain as a product of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s successful visit to the Russian capital Moscow and the previous visit of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and the First Deputy of the Prime Minister. During this visit, an agreement of mutual Air Transport was signed, paving the way for direct flights between Manama and Moscow. His Majesty's visit marked the beginning of new strategic business, investment and tourism cooperation prospects between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Russian Federation. We hope our passengers will experience and enjoy Russia's historic capital city."

Over the past years, the Ministry of Culture has contributed to strengthening the Kingdom's ties with Russia through agreements, seminars, roadshows and visits between officials. In 2012, the Culture Ministry and the St Petersburg-based State Hermitage Museum signed an agreement on cultural exchange. In the same year, a Bahraini delegation, led by Culture Minister Shaikha Mai, participated in the 36th session of the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, held in St Petersburg. The "Pearl Route" Project was awarded UNESCO's World Heritage Status.

H.E Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa, has launched Manama: Capital of Arab Tourism 2013 during the opening of Tylos, The Journey Beyond Life in Moscow at the State Museum of Oriental Art. The exhibition was a component of recognizing Bahrain as the Capital of Arab Culture, a year-long series of events starting in January 2012. H.E. Shaikha Mai attended the 36th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. The opening session was held at the historic Tavricheskiy Palace in St Petersburg in the presence of officials representing up to 180 countries. The registration of the Muharraq-located Pearl Route on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites will be on the agenda. H.E. Shaikha Mai reaffirmed Bahrain’s commitment to the World Heritage Covenant. The Tylos art exhibition showcases 250 Bahrain National Museum-owned precious artifacts dating back to the period between the 2nd Century BC and the 3rd Century AD. Arab ambassadors to Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Bogdanov, archaeologists, journalists and tourism industry representatives attended the press conference opening the exhibition.

HRH Princess Sabeeka inaugurated the Tylos Show in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg in 2012. The show then moved to Moscow. During the same year, the Russian Cultural Days were held, in cooperation with the Russian Embassy to Bahrain. The Bahrain Cultural Days were also held in Russia for the aim of consolidating cultural rapprochement between the two countries. As part of the celebrations of Manama as the Capital of Arab Culture, 2012, the Ministry of Culture inaugurated, the new National Theatre, by presenting for the first time during the dancers from two of Russia's most famous theatres, Bolshoi and Mariinsky. The spectacular ballet performance, Gala Russe: Stars of the Russian Ballet, dazzled the audience, featuring dances from Swan Lake, Don Quixote and La Corsaire, with some of the world's most renowned names in ballet performing, including Denis Matveinko, Vyacheslav Lopatin, Anastasia Stashkevich and Ekaterina Osmolkina.

In 2013, cultural and tourism cooperation was strengthened with the signing of a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) on exchange of cultural activities, in coordination between the two countries' Culture Ministries and the Russian and Bahraini embassies H.E Shaikha Mai visited Moscow, where she took part in many events. H.E attended the opening of the contemporary fine art gallery for Bahraini artists at the Russian Academy of Arts (Zurab Tsereteli Arts Gallery). The Minister of Culture was honored by the President of the Russian Academy of Arts and Russian President's Advisor for Cultural Affairs Prof. Zurab Konstantines dze Tsereteli, who granted her the honorary membership of the academy in tribute to her tangible role and efforts in supporting arts, preserving the global human heritage in Bahrain and cementing cultural and artistic ties between Bahrain and Russia.

Russia also hosted the fine art expo themed "Contemporary Artists of Bahrain: New Horizons." In 2013, H.E Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa was honored by President of the Russian Academy of Arts and Russian President's Advisor for Cultural Affairs Prof. Zurab Konstantines dze Tsereteli. The Minister of Culture was granted the honorary membership of the academy in tribute to her tangible role and efforts in supporting arts, preserving the global human heritage in Bahrain and cementing cultural and artistic ties between Bahrain and Russia. The event came as Kingdom of Bahrain’s art season opened with a group exhibition entitled Contemporary Bahraini Art Exhibition: New Horizons, at the Russian Art Academy in Moscow from 17 September – 15 October 2013. The exhibition started the contemporary fine art gallery for Bahraini artists at the Russian Academy of Arts (Zurab Tsereteli Arts Gallery). H.E Culture Minister Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa was present in the opening ceremony alongside Prof. Zurab Tsereteli, Arab and Foreign Ambassadors to Russia, Senior officials from the Russian Culture Ministry and Russian fine artists.

H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa launched the exhibition "Pearls in the Arabian Gulf" at All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Arts in the Russian capital Moscow on Tuesday 17th September 2013, and as an initiation for launching "Intraregional Tourism," which is considered the first cooperation within the agreement between the two countries along the history of the political and cultural relations bonding them. The Kingdom of Bahrain’s art season opened with a group exhibition entitled Contemporary Bahraini Art Exhibition: New Horizons, at the Russian Art Academy in Moscow from 17 September – 15 October 2013. Organized by the Bahrain Ministry of Culture, the show includes the work of Rashid Al Khalifa, Abdulrahim Sharif, Balqees Fakhro, Khalil Al Hashimi and Ahmed Baqer. This came during the opening of the contemporary fine art gallery for Bahraini artists at the Russian Academy of Arts ( Zurab Tsereteli Arts Gallery).

A rare and extensive collection of Russian textile artistic products went on display at the Bahrain National Museum. Culture Minister Shaikha Mai opened the "Russian Textile: Printed Cotton from Traditional Patterns to Soviet Propaganda Design".

On its part, Bahrain hosted a Russian Textile Exhibition, which was held in the Bahrain National Museum, as part of the MoU signed between the two sides.
In 2014, Culture Ministry's Assistant Under-Secretary for Tourism Shaikh Khalid bin Hmood Al Khalifa held a meeting with a Russian delegation, led by the Russian Culture and Tourism Ministry's Undersecretary for Tourism Affairs Dr. Dmitry Amunts. They discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism.
The Russian artists also participated in the Bahrain Summer Festival for the second year in a row.

In addition, the Ministry of Culture hosted the world acclaimed Perm Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre performing live Hoffman's classic fairytale of the "Nutcraker" on the 18th & 19th September 2014. Indeed, the two nights of sweet dreams at Bahrain’s National Theater animated by Perm Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet, The Nutcracker, showcased one of the most famous plays of all-time, on 18th & 19th September 2014. After last year’s Russian showcase, the Bahrain National Theatre has proved itself to our Russian friends, as it has been treated by the famous duo, Anastasia Matvienko and Denis Matvienko. Both principal dancers at the world-class Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, they were the primary leads in both nights show of The Nutcracker.