The Creative Museum Seminar at UoB Confirms Its Importance in Promoting and Sustaining Cultural Development

Sakhir – University of Bahrain (Ali Al Sabbaq)

15 May 2023

A scientific seminar at the University of Bahrain (UoB) stressed the importance of museums in promoting cultural development and its sustainability, as they are spaces for education and creativity and stimulate positive interaction, emphasizing that preserving heritage and museum architecture is not only the responsibility of official authorities, but of all community members, as they are institutions that reflect the history and identity of society.

The Cultural and Social Committee at the College of Arts organized a seminar on “Museum Industry: The Creative Heritage Museum” to be the fourth seminar within the cultural committee’s season for the academic year 2022/2023, presented by the Department of Social Sciences at the College.

Speakers at the seminar, which was held on Tuesday (May 9, 2023), included: Faculty member in the Department of Social Sciences, Dr. Waleed Mohammed Safaei, Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the Department, Dr. Sawsan Ghuloom Kareemi, Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department, Dr. Ahlam Rashid Al-Qasimi, and Director of the Department of Media at the Ministry of Information Affairs, Dr. Yousef Mohammed Ismail, while the seminar was moderated by the Head of the Social Sciences Department, Dr. Mouza Issa Al-Dawi.

Dr. Al-Dawi stated: “Museums have an active role in promoting sustainability and contributing to cultural and economic development, as they are places of education, creativity and dialogue,” pointing to “the role of museums in promoting social development and stimulating positive interaction between members of society, as they support cultural participation and contribute directly to enhancing the preservation of cultural heritage and stimulating community partnership through joint dialogue between cultural elements”.

In her speech at the beginning of the event, Dr. Diya Abdullah Al-Ka’abi, Head of the Arabic Language and Islamic Studies Department and Chair of the Cultural and Social Committee at the College of Arts, explained that this seminar falls within the context of the College of Arts’ cultural program “The College of Arts, the Knowledge Economy Industry and Cultural Innovation in the Twenty-First Century” to achieve sustainable cultural development by working on the establishment of institutional cultural projects, in partnership with academic institutions.

While Dr. Safaei presented a paper on the importance of developing a realistic picture of the museums’ role in preserving nations’ heritage o, in a way that would enhance their scientific, cultural and educational status among their visitors, and their social environment in particular, pointing to the importance of knowing the factors for establishing museums, and the role of museum education in preparing young people during the different stages of education, as well as museum service and its role in preserving heritage.

Dr. Al-Qasimi spoke on the uniqueness of traditional costumes in Bahrain, with their diversity and their various shapes and designs, that reflect the cultural and historical heritage of Bahraini society. Pointing out that these costumes were affected by fashion developments, and the exchange of influence between them and the cultures of the peoples with whom Bahrainis coexisted, as the designs, colors and materials used in making traditional costumes are kept up-to-date to suit the modern era and meet the needs of life.

Moreover, Dr. Yousef Mohammed presented an overview of the development of clothing, the meanings of colors, and their reflections on the climatic, aesthetic, religious and moral dimensions, and linked the social transformations in Bahrain, and their impact on the variation, forms and development of clothing.

In addition, he presented examples of traditional men’s clothing, its development, the types of fabrics, their names and uses, and he dealt with the collective memory employed by society, such as Bahraini traditional proverbs, which dealt with fashion, and decoration and its tools.

While Dr. Kareemi presented a paper on the clothing industry and its significance, referring to the reality of clothing in international museums. She noted that the prevailing custom in our Gulf and Arab culture is that preserving heritage is a task entrusted to state agencies and institutions, but it is possible to benefit from the experiences of several countries around the world, in which many civil institutions and wealthy families establish research centers, build museums, and support the collection, documentation, analysis and publishing in all areas of folklore.