THE TEAM
Publisher
F. MiddletonKristian Harrison
Farrah Saville
Media
Alya Al-Mutairi
Contributors
Behnaz Sanjana, Bill Grieve, Pria Masson, Ouiam El Hassani, Simran Tiwari
Editorial Consultant
Ahdeya Ahmed
Print Production Manager
Sabu Sebastian
Art Director
Hatem Monem
Webmaster
Nishad Eapen
CRM & Database Coordinator
Muna Yousef
Staff Photographer
Subeesh Kumar N S
Administration and Finance
Samson Vaz, Marlyn Ragasa
Distribution Team
CM Abdul Rahman, Gopal Arul Kumar
Distributor
Al Hilal Group (Hilal Direct Services)
Media Sales Director
Anuradha Manhas
anuradha@redhousemarketing.com
Media Sales Executive
Safia Dawani
Safia@redhousemarketing.com
DIGITAL & CONTENT MARKETING TEAM
Digital Strategy Director
Lini Reghunath
Digital Marketing Director
Farah Baig
Social Media Managers
Simran Tiwari, Rohit Reghunath
October 2022 Bahrain This Month
Welcome
to another very exciting edition of Bahrain This Month. The weather is finally cooling down and events are in full swing all across the Kingdom. These are exciting times!
As someone who has lived in Bahrain for over 40 years, and is a proud Bahraini, I can safely say that living in Bahrain has always been a pleasure. While there’s plenty that makes the island such a wonderful place to live, there’s no denying that the main factor that makes it so special is its people; their warmth, kindness and generosity is second to none.
On that note, in this edition, you can read our interview with a man who is a true representative of these qualities – the Secretary General of the Royal Humanitarian Foundation, Dr. Mustafa Al-Sayed. His natural knack for philanthropy, and efforts through the RHF have created a lasting impact on societies in Bahrain and around the world.
We have always been quite connected to every community in Bahrain. This month, we had the pleasure of speaking to the Ambassador of Indonesia, HE Ardi Hermawan, who enlightened us about the Indonesian community in Bahrain, trade figures between the two countries and more.
Mental health has been at the forefront of global conversations this year, and it’s for a good reason. We speak to Yasmin Drummond, wife of the British Ambassador HE Roddy Drummond, about the pressing topic and her proposed mental health charity, MIND Bahrain. Other interviewees include one of the Kingdom’s finest lawyers, Rashed Abdul Rahman Ebrahim, and the talented saxophonist, Elton Shera.
In our dining section you’ll find plenty of fantastic listings from some of the very best restaurants in the Kingdom. We also had the pleasure of experiencing Primavera’s delectable business lunch at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain.
In our motoring section, Kristian Harrison puts the new hybrid Ferrari 296 GTB through its paces thanks to the Maranello marque’s exclusive dealer in Bahrain, Euro Motors. As always, you’ll also find plenty of exciting events to attend this month. In addition, you can stay up-todate with motoring and business news.
Woman This Month continues to be the ultimate source of fashion, beauty and parenting in the region. This month’s edition is even more special, though, as we interviewed the second ever Miss Universe Bahrain, Evlin Khalifa. The pageant contestant speaks to us about her thoughts on representing the Kingdom, the causes she hopes to champion and more.
October is an extremely important month when it comes to breast cancer awareness. So, in the best interest of our female readers’ wellbeing, we spoke to Consultant General Surgeon and Breast Cancer Specialist, Dr. Taghreed Almahmeed. She provided us with extensive insight into the symptoms of breast cancer, how often women must get checked, common concerns and the surgical approach to fighting cancer in a very informative chat.
It’s an issue with plenty to look forward to, so needless to say, Bahrain This Month continues to be Your Guide to a Great Way of Life!
George F. Middleton Publisher and ChairmanThe Height of Luxury
Onyx Bahrain Bay Project by Kooheji
has been awarded the ‘Best Luxury High-Rise Penthouses in Bahrain
by Luxury Lifestyle Awards
An Outstanding Ambassador
Ambassador, HE Ardi Hermawan, on current trade figures, potential commercial collaborations, and more.
A Life of Giving
Secretary General, Dr. Mustafa Al-Sayed on charitable giving, the foundation’s impact and more.
The Rule of Law
Rashed Abdul Rahman Ebrahim, one of Bahrain’s finest lawyers, tells us about his history in the field.
Mental Health on our MIND
Yasmin Drummond about her history of charitable work and how she is changing the conversation about mental health in the region.
The Sax Sensation!
Saxophonist, Elton Shera, on turning talent into a successful career.
A Magnifico Business Lunch!
A great business lunch at Primavera at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain
Let’s Eat
very best of dining this month.
The Secret to Successful Businesses
Masson on why questioning is critical for success.
Fast, Green, Magnificent Machine!
put the new hybrid
GTB through its paces.
AN OASIS OF LUXURY …
A dynamic distinction forms between the elements of land and sea. We embrace this confluence of the perfect life on the beach and modern elegance.
With Address Beach Resort Bahrain’s arrival, a new spectacular retreat rises out of the depths of the Arabian Gulf, surrounded in plush landscapes, creating a warm and restorative environment on the beautiful shores of Marassi Al Bahrain.
OCTOBER
ISSUE 234 CONTENTS
Liberating Fashion
Inspired by the flowing breeze and golden hour, we felt the need to delve into Johanna Ortiz’s elegant AW collection which is rooted in freedom.
Out of this World
We speak to Miss Universe Bahrain, Evlin Khalifa, who will compete in New Orleans for the crown title of Miss Universe in January 2023. She talks about her meteoric rise, representing her country and more.
In This Together
We speak to Consultant General Surgeon and Breast Cancer Specialist at Al-Zahra Hospital Dubai Dr. Taghreed Almahmeed about breast cancer.
Beauty Essentials
Looking for the next best beauty product to pop into your bag? Check out our top picks this month!
Ethnic Elegance
Add a few Indian accents to your living spaces to set a festive tone to this Diwali season, and watch your home come aglow.
Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills - What’s More Important?
Our fast-paced society may give you the impression that your child needs to constantly focus on academic skills, but this shouldn’t always be the case. Ouiam El Hassani tells us why.
In Her Shoes
GM of Marketing & Business Development at Kooheji Development, May Marzooq is passionate about formulating winning marketing strategies. Let’s step into her shoes!
OCTOBER HAPPENINGS
DON’T MISS THIS!
OCTOBER 7 D-UNITY IN BAHRAIN! JUFFAIR BOULEVARD HOTEL
This month, OFF Global Group and Project VOID are teaming up to bring world-renowned techno DJ & Producer, D-Unity, to the Kingdom of Bahrain. This is a party you definitely don’t want to miss out on! D-Unity’s extensive self-taught career is based on a long-lasting belief in quality music. It has led him to a consolidated position as one of the world’s most prolific and acclaimed producers in the electronic dance music scene. That’s not all, there will be a fantastic line-up of regional DJs!
Line-up: D-Unity Julian Mesa INFRARED Charlie Cooksey Sam GinoPre-sale tickets are priced at BHD 15 until midnight on Friday following which they will be priced at BHD 20 at the door after midnight! Make sure you grab yours before they’re sold out. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets can be purchased on Resident Advisor: https://ra.co/ events/1589573.
Call 33 189-318 or 32 226-113.
A NIGHT OF HOUSE AND TECHNO
OCTOBER 14 EUPHORIA ELEVATED CALEXICO BAHRAIN
‘Euphoria Elevated’ is back for a night of eclectic house and techno. Experience a phenomenal underground party at Calexico, where they’ll be playing only the best of the best. This time, Euphoria will feature an international artist coming to Bahrain for the first time: Levi Oi. She’s bringing her signature style of pumping techno and playful house with her, so you know it’s going to be one wild and euphoric night!
Line-up: Levi Oi Sam Gino F Jay INFRAREDLevi has a truly unique story to tell, and so does her music. Born and raised in Germany with years abroad in Melbourne, Dubai and London, she decided to explore her own roots and moved to Vietnam. After only a few months, she was featured on vice.com as one of Saigon’s most important underground figures, Ho Chi Minh City boiler room sets were played, and Vietnam news labelled her one of the big newcomers. Tickets are priced from BHD 10 onwards. Doors open at 9pm.
Call 33 737-417.
SUN, SAND AND SEA
OCTOBER 6 TO 8 LA PLAGE BEACH FESTIVAL
SOFITEL BAHRAIN ZALLAQ THALASSA SEA & SPA
You know what’s better than a free beach day? A free beach day with food, fun, games and activities, as well as entertainment for all ages!
That’s right: Sofitel is providing you with the opportunity to take in the captivating beach at their property along with lots of fun activities! You can enjoy their stunning pool and facilities, and enjoy special discounts on their ‘La Plage’ memberships.
This event is exclusively open to couples and families. So pack your bags and head down there for a relaxing weekend getaway that will make you feel like you’re on vacation! The festival will be held from 1pm to 7pm..
Call 17 636-363.
The most anticipated event in the Kingdom, Bahrain Comic Con is back! Over 25,000 attendees are expected to visit the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) on October 28 and October 29 to catch a glimpse of some of the biggest celebrities, and enjoy a weekend of activities! The event is being organised by DALLAH in partnership with the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA).
Celebrities at this year’s event include actor Paul Anderson who’s known for playing Arthur Shelby
in Peaky Blinders, and the amazing Leilani Shiu who’s known for playing Teeka the Jawa in Star Wars and Actor Paul Anderson known for playing Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders. David D’Angelo Roman the artist from Rick and Morty will also be at this year’s event while Just Sul, who rose to fame for his comical antics is this year’s social media star. This is in addition to WWE superstars who are soon to be announced!
The two-day event will feature a huge array of activities from cosplay showcases to gaming
tournaments, workshops about sound dubbing for cartoons, writing scenarios, facial expressions, sketching anime, Q&A sessions and more!
Don’t miss out on the opportunities to meet these celebrities and enjoy everything Comic Con has to offer! Tickets for the event can be purchased through Bahrain This Month’s website.
Follow @bahraincomiccon on Instagram.
A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
THURSDAY PAST MASTERS SHERLOCK HOLMES, THE GULF HOTEL BAHRAIN
THE BEST OF ARABIC MUSIC
ABDUL MAJEED ABDULLAH AL DANA AMPHITHEATREEnjoy an evening of live music, and delectable food and drinks at Sherlock Holmes Bar and Restaurant with your friends and loved ones!
Take a trip down memory lane with live, classic rock from the 70s, 80s and 90s with the Past Masters. This is your chance to relive some of your favourite tunes from a bygone era or discover new ones that you never knew existed.
17 713-000.
Bahrain, are you ready for this? The acclaimed Abdul Majeed Abdullah will perform at the spectacular Al Dana Amphitheatre on Friday, October 14.
Abdul Majeed Abdullah is known to be one of the most significant figures in the fields of art and music as well as one of the most influential voices in the evolution of Arabic music. Gates open at 7pm. Attendees are requested to arrive at least an hour before the concert, which begins at 10pm.
PUMP IT UP
Get your weekend off to an early start every Wednesday with an iconic night of music with Julian Mesa in collaboration with OFF Global Group! Dance the night away and groove to the very best of electronic music at ICON Lounge in Adliya.
The lounge is open until 2am, so you can have an epic night out without having to worry about going home early. Just make sure you get to work on time the following morning!
Call 38 225-500.
MAGNIFICENT MUSIC
OCTOBER 7, 8PM NOEL KHARMAN CULTURAL HALL
In her first concert in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Palestinian singer Noel Kharman comes in strong with her melodious voice, enthralling audiences with her songs that mix Arabic and Western music, blending the two worlds. Her career breakthrough took place in 2015 when she published her first mash-up cover, which was a mix of ‘Hello’ by Adele with ‘Kifak Inta’ by Fairuz. The cover went viral overnight, gained over 33 million views on YouTube, and since then she has been an internet sensation.
Her vision to bring the Middle Eastern sound and culture to international and influential platforms is truly coming to life. You can catch Noel performing live around the region, but for now, you can enjoy her music right here at the Cultural Hall, and keep an eye our for the release of new original music.
Doors open at 8pm. Entry is free for all. This event is suitable for those aged 10 and older.
Visit www.culture.gov.bh.
THE BEAT OF THE DRUM
OCTOBER 6 THE TAIKO ENSEMBLE “WAGAKU*MIYABI” CULTURAL HALL
The Japanese Taiko ensemble “Wagaku*Miyabi” is back in Bahrain! The band presents a sophisticated and powerful performance of traditional Japanese drums “Taiko”, which will surely delight fans of Japanese music. The ensemble combines the sound of the “Taiko” drums with other Japanese musical instruments, their repertoire extending to modern music as well, as they spread this important aspect of Japanese culture around the world.
This event is being held in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bahrain and Japan.
Doors open at 8pm. This event is free of charge and is suitable for individuals who are 8 and older. Visit www.culture.gov.bh.
LAUGH OUT LOUD!
OCTOBER 27 MICHAEL MCLNTYRE AL DANA AMPHITHEATREComedy Superstar Michael Mclntyre will be performing at Al Dana Amphitheatre this month! Expect a night of gutbusting laughs as he shares stories from his life, including his rise to fame, his family life, and his experiences as a father.
The British comedian and actor, is known around the world for his hilarious stand-up routines and has hosted award winning shows such as the Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, Michael Mcintyre’s The Wheel and more!
Michael has become one of the most successful comedians in the world, with his tours selling over four million tickets! Don’t miss your chance to see this comedy genius perform live at Al Dana Amphitheatre! Doors open at 6pm.
Visit https://www.aldana.com.bh/event/michael-mcintyre.
TRICK
BEAT
The Vortex Halloween party is here! Om’s Events is taking over Al Dar Island to bring you a night of techno and trance music. They’re going to have two stages featuring upbeat tracks to get you moving, lots of great food and beverages, and plenty of space for you to dance the night away.
Line-up:
Sub Nation
Kakatazee
Mualim
Hse
Expect plenty of surprises throughout the night, so make sure you’re ready for anything! Put on your best costume and grab your friends for a spooktacular night.
The night kicks off at 8pm. For tickets and more information, get in touch with Om’s Events..
Call 33 085-400 or 33 449218.
A TRIBUTE TO THE GREATS
28
TRIB FEST BAHRAIN
RUGBY FOOTBALL
IT’S SPOOKY SEASON
THE GULF HOTEL
It’s time to get your family together for a weekend of music and fun!
Trib Fest Bahrain will feature a number of world-renowned tribute acts brought in specially for your entertainment from the UK and Europe. It’s 12 hours of live music, with plenty of opportunities to dance and sing along with your favourite artists—or try something new!
There will also be a family fun zone with inflatables, jumping castles, Disney characters and much more.
Line-up:
Queen & Freddie Mercury (Europe #1 Tribute)
The Beatles (UK’s No.1 Tribute Act)
The Killers
The Artic Monkeys
Elton John (UK’s Star Struck) Bon Jovi
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Bruno Mars (UK’s No.1 Tribute Act)
Bryan Adams
David Bowie (UK’s No.1 Tribute Act) Stereophonics (UK’s No.1 Tribute Act)
Paul Weller & The Jam Brit Pop (a tribute to the classics: The Verve, Cast, Pulp etc.)
The Billy Black Band – Masters of Rock!
Lady Gaga Kylie Minougue
Olly Murs
There will also be Disney princesses and Barbie for the kids! Trib Fest Bahrain promises to be an amazing day out for everyone. You won’t want to miss it! The event will take place from 10am to 10pm. Visit www.tribfestbh.com.
It’s the most spooktacular time of the year: Halloween! Head to Typhoon Bar on October 31st for a spooktacular party. Come dressed to impress and ready to party! Get ready to groove to incredible beats and get ready to dance like there’s no tomorrow.
Call 17 713-000.
NOVEMBER 10 AND 11 FAULTY TOWERS DINING EXPERIENCE GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL BAHRAIN
We are excited to announce that ‘Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience’ will be coming to Golden Tulip Bahrain this November!
This interactive dining experience brings the magic of the classic British comedy series “Faulty Towers” to life in a three-course meal and two hours of hilariously inept comedy. You can expect to see all your favourite characters come to life. Expect nothing short of guaranteed fun and a brilliant night out as you step into the legendary TV program and experience it from the inside out. Tickets are priced at BHD 25 per person and there are limited spots available! Be sure to get yours as soon as possible. The event starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are available on the Bahrain This Month website.
Visit www.bahrainthismonth.com/events
77th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia
AN OUTSTANDING AMBASSADOR
The Kingdom of Bahrain and Republic of Indonesia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1984. The Indonesian community in Bahrain now consists of 5000 people while trade relations, too, have diversified over the years. Bahrain This Month speaks to the Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, HE Ardi Hermawan who enlightens us on current trade figures, potential commercial collaborations, and more.
Your excellency, could you tell our readers about yourself and your life growing up in Indonesia?
I was born in Padang, West Sumatera, but I spent my youth in Surabaya, East Java. I met my wife and now we are blessed with three daughters and two grandchildren. Since then, we lived in Jakarta.
Being a government official is no stranger to me. My father worked as a civil servant and always moved from one city to another in Indonesia. None of my daughters follow my path career, though; two of them are working for start-up companies and the youngest is working for a British consultant.
What does it take to become an ambassador? Can you give us an overview of your diplomatic missions to date?
I earned my BA in International Relations at Universitas Airlangga in Surabaya following which I pursued my postgraduate in Australia, Diploma at the Australian National University, and Masters from the Monash University.
My first diplomatic service was at the Indonesian Embassy in Paris from 1994 to 1998, then at the Embassy in Budapest from 2001 to 2005, and Tokyo from 2008 to 2011 where I became the Deputy Chief of Mission.
After that, I served as Indonesian Consul General in San Francisco from 2014 to 2017.
Prior to holding my post here in Bahrain, I was assigned to the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia for three years, from 2018 to 2021, first as the Director of Asia Pacific Tourism Marketing and then as the Director of Investment Management.
I started and spent most of my career for 35
years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 2021, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo officially inaugurated 17 extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors (LBBP RI) at the state palace. How did you feel being among those honoured?
I felt proud and honoured as I believe being an ambassador is the golden achievement for every diplomat. Yet, at the same time, I felt humbled. I realised I could not get to this position today without the support of those close to me, my family, and my previous teams - whether it be the one in Jakarta or at the Embassies and Consulates. To me, being an ambassador is not only an assignment but an Amanah (a trust) from the President that has to be returned through the benefit of the people of Indonesia in Bahrain.
What does your role as an ambassador in Bahrain entail and what has been your most significant accomplishment to date?
I was tasked with various assignments, but the most important was strengthening the bilateral relations of Indonesia and Bahrain in every sector as well as delivering protection and citizen service to Indonesian nationals in Bahrain.
Since I arrived here, I have made courtesy calls to His Majesty Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the Crown Prince and Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. In addition, I have met with with ministers, parliament members, businessmen, the Chamber of Commerce, labour authority, culture authority, members of the media and more. The message is always encouraging and positive - Bahrain is ready to enhance its relations and cooperation with Indonesia.
In addition, we had an exchange of visits from the dignitaries, businessmen, sport athletes, as well as culture delegation. We also actively participated in a number of cultural festivals including the recent Bahrain Summer Festival last July. In addition, we conducted trade promotion activities, including the famous Indonesian Tea and Coffee Promotion last May which concluded with a trade deal for six tons of a single origin Indonesian Arabica Specialty Coffee.
Further, we look forward to the Indonesia –Bahrain 2nd Joint Political Consultation which will be held in Manama this year. We are proud of the Bahrain Indonesia Business and Friendship Society (BIBFS), which has been in existence since 2017, and is as one of the prime movers behind our task to increase culture and economic networking and activities.
What are the current trade figures between Indonesia and Bahrain?
During 2021, based on the data of the Ministry of Trade of Republic of Indonesia, total trade volume between Indonesia and Bahrain reached USD267 million, an increase of 57 percent compared to the total trade volume on 2020. In 2022, up to July, it has shown a 49 percent increase compared to the same period in 2021. The trade figures of the two countries look promising and keep increasing each year.
The main import commodities from Bahrain are crude oil, aluminium, and iron products. Meanwhile Indonesia exports motor vehicles, palm oil, and paper products. Nevertheless, there are also some other potential commodities that have emerged and are being explored including blue crab from Bahrain, and Arabica specialty coffee, snacks or confectionaries from Indonesia.
How many Indonesians are currently residing in Bahrain? What are the key sectors that they are engaged in?
As per the latest data from the Labour Market Regulatory Authority dated December 2021, there are more than 5000 Indonesians residing in Bahrain. Most of them are semi-skilled to professional workers, among others in hospitality sectors (308 persons), seafarers (116 persons) and traders (99 persons). There are also Indonesian professionals who are working as IT consultants posted in the Royal Court (14 persons), real estate (8 persons), mining and quarrying industries (three persons), and professors in universities (three persons).
Since Indonesia has a lot of professional workers who can compete globally, I would like to further promote the hiring of professional workers including Indonesian nurses, baristas, and coffee roasters.
Similarly, how many Bahrainis are currently residing in Indonesia? Is it considered to be a popular holiday and business destination in the Kingdom?
People in Bahrain are gradually learning more about Indonesia beyond Bali and Jakarta. Bahraini travellers can enjoy the visa on arrival facility to enter Indonesia with the duration of stay being 30 days extendable by an additional 30 days.
Prior to the pandemic era, there were 2000 to 3000 Bahrainis travelling to Indonesia annually for various purposes. Compared to other countries the number is relatively low. However, Bahraini visitors who visit Indonesia have the most potential. Bahrain business delegation is known as one of the frequent visitors of Trade Expo Indonesia.
How do you intend to strengthen the level of bilateral relations between Bahrain and Indonesia?
Since the establishment of our bilateral relations in July 1984, both countries have agreed to set up mechanisms to facilitate the communication between the officials of both countries.
Having said that, the way I intend to strengthen the level of our bilateral relations is always to look for potentials of cooperation and breakthroughs in the economy, trade, investment, education and tourism.
We will assume the Chairmanship of ASEAN next year. We will render our full support for Bahrain’s interest of becoming the Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN and its effort to enhance cooperation with ASEAN Member States in all pillars of ASEAN Communities; Political Security, Economic, and SocioCultural Community.
Is there anything you would like to add? Indonesia is proposing the re-opening direct flight between both countries. Having said that, I would like to encourage Gulf Air to re-open the Bahrain-Jakarta route. It will not only increase and intensify people-to-people contact, but also ease the movement of commercial goods further promoting trade relations. In addition, Bahrainis who would like to travel to other destinations in East Asia and the Pacific will transit and visit Indonesia before continuing their journey. Furthermore, there is a captive market of around 1.2 million annual Umrah pilgrims from Indonesia which could be tapped into by the Gulf Air, which has been seized by airlines of other GCC countries. Some of those airlines also offer city tours after Umrah. I hope Gulf Air will offer Indonesian jamaah a transit after their pilgrimage, so more Indonesians stay and visit the beautiful Bahrain.
A LIFE OF GIVING
By Farah BaigThe Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF) has been widely recognised for its philanthropic efforts that have had a lasting impact on societies in Bahrain and across the world. This month, we speak to one of the most recognised representatives of RHF with a natural penchant for charity - RHF Secretary General, Dr. Mustafa Al-Sayed. He tells us about what sparked his interest in charity, the foundation’s impact and his inspirational children’s books too.
You are quite renowned in the Kingdom, but could you kindly give our readers an overview about your distinguished career to-date? How did you get involved with the Royal Humanitarian Foundation?
I had a very challenging childhood, I was born into a poor family and my father died when I was just five years old. Two months before his death, our house was burnt in a big fire and thus we lost everything and had to start from zero. Hence, now I feel the requirements and aspiration of poor orphans and children and do my best to help them.
Over the years I have also learned of the goodness that people have in them through
various situations in my life. For instance, my neighbor who would tell me to go home when it was late at night, or the engineer who saved my life when I was working with high voltage switch gear and pointed out the hazards to me, and people who encouraged me to become a better and successful person.
If you genuinely treat people well, with kindness and compassion, I believe you will receive heavenly rewards in return. What inspired your dedication to a life of charitable work?
I helped in forming the Bahrain Safety Society in 1979. It was then that I understood the
satisfaction of saving lives though informative lectures, writing books and voluntary work. You feel good when you go to bed at night, realising that you have helped others and impacted their lives positively. Seeing smiles on the face of children or appreciation from elderly people made me happy.
In fact, I had an interview with an Arabic newspaper in 2005 at the very peak of my professional career as the President of Bapco. At the time, they asked me what my ambition in life would be and I said it was my dream to have a beautiful nursery for orphans. This was in my heart at the time, and today I have not just one nursery, but one in every governorate.
There’s a lot of prestige working in the oil industry, but I thank God that I ended up here looking after the orphans and widows, it is so rewarding.
Now, as part of the RHF, I experience true joy. In fact, the foundation doesn’t only work with orphans, but handicapped children, widows, the poverty stricken and elderly too both in Bahrain, and otherwise too, with great patronage from His Majesty King Hamad, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and under the dynamic leadership of His Highness Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Can you tell us about the children’s books that you have written?
Regarding children’s books, I wrote the first in 1994. I had a draft for the book ready for six months, and following the encouragement of my daughter Manar decided to publish it. Since then, I have written ten children’s books which teach them about good manners, good values, safety, social values, how to care for the environment, and exposes them to exciting adventures in order to expand their horizons.
One of the books that I›m very happy to finish writing is called ‘The Principles of Humanity’. It educationally teaches people how to become good citizens and volunteers. If it can be distributed at schools in countries where I have good connections like Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan and the UAE, we can fill people’s hearts with love and compassion so that there is no room for hatred and extremism.
What is the Royal Humanitarian Foundation’s main initiative?
It looks after 11,000 widows and orphans in various ways including a monthly salary and free healthcare. Over 4000 beneficiaries have received scholarships while more than 8000 people have received healthcare. In addition, over 36,000 people have received humanitarian aid in the form of medical, cost of living and marriage assistance. There are several children in our care who are brilliant and wish to go to private schools and get an international baccalaureate. And to achieve that, we have an agreement with several private schools who give us scholarships for our outstanding students.
How do you prioritise what you focus on most at the Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF)?
You have to raise the level of humanitarian work to a professional standard to avoid criticism, and to avoid even yourself being unfair as we all have tendencies to support a certain group. We have a very professional and fair approach while sticking to our values and ethics. We conduct a study for each case and have criteria based on which we help people.
Through this approach we have helped thousands and thousands of people of all nationalities. For instance, we helped rebuild 500 houses when the Philippines was struck by a tsunami, and provided water and other supplies to ten villages in Pakistan. Some of
the places we have been to are quite dangerous, but the joy of positively impacting these communities and making a difference is unbelievable.
According to a British charity organisation, the Royal Humanitarian Foundation was rated number 11 in the world and number one in the Arab world for humanitarian works. This is not due to the amount of money donated, but rather the lasting impact, quality, and the way we treat people. Through our initiatives, we also witness touching acts of kindness on the part of Bahraini citizens who come forward to support our causes.
In addition to giving material things to support people, it’s important to empower them through education to boost their dignity, moral and help them succeed in achieving their aspirations. In Bahrain, despite there being plenty of training centres and educational facilities, we built a vocational training center where orphans have the opportunity to become the first choice in the industry. Notably, through the vision of His Majesty King Hamad, we have also built six schools in Jordan with four of them being built on the border with Syria. Some of the students who went to these schools, have now received scholarships to study in Europe and the US.
What can you tell us about the support of refugees by the RHF?
Bahrain is a leader in this aspect as we have a very creative approach in helping refugees. Through His Highness Shaikh Nasser’s creative approach, we have not only built schools but teachers training colleges too as there is no point in having a school if there are no local teachers, like in Somalia.
I believe you worked with King Charles III on various Islamic committees’ initiatives related to humanitarian works. Could you kindly elaborate?
Yes, King Charles III is a close friend of our Royal Family. A memorable time was when His Majesty was a prince and a sponsor of the Islamic World Society in the UK and they were presenting an award for a humanitarian project that Bahrain had done in Palestine and Syria. Out of everybody present, we were awarded a prize for our outstanding work there where we were building schools and libraries to promote peace and sustainable development while people were talking about the war. His Majesty has a wonderful personality, he is hardworking, kind and very intelligent. I congratulate the UK for having such a remarkable man as King to follow a very memorable and unforgettable Queen. You refer to Bahraini orphans as your children. Do you have any of your own children?
Yes, I have four. They are beautiful and successful and I love them tremendously. In fact, I also have grandchildren. Since I don’t see them as often, as my work has always involved a lot of travelling, I make up for it by cooking for them every Friday. They may joke about its colour or taste, but they got used to eating it!
THE RULE OF LAW
Rashed Abdul Rahman Ebrahim is one of the Kingdom’s finest lawyers. An arbitrator, licensed before the Court of Cassation and the Constitutional Court, he has a storied history in the field. George Middleton spoke to him to learn about his career and law in a sit-down chat this month.
Could you tell our readers about yourself and your firm?
Law is not just a career but rather a way of life, passion for negotiation and a strong belief in ethics.
I graduated with LLB from the University of Baghdad in 1968, and later continued my education at London School of Economics and Kings’ College in the United Kingdom. I played a prominent role in the establishment of notary public offices and was appointed as the first notary public at the Ministry of Justice in 1971 - the same year in which I was appointed as a Director of Bahrain courts.
In 1974, the Rashed Abdul Rahman Ebrahim law office was established in Bahrain to specialise in advising corporations and individuals on matters related to banking law, Islamic finance, insurance law, construction law, commercial law, corporate law, company registration and international commercial arbitration.
Over the course of a 48-year career, I have participated in many local and international arbitration cases as both, counsel and arbitrator, in Bahrain and abroad and had the pleasure of meeting many local and international clients.
In 1971, you became the first ever notary in Bahrain. How did this pioneering move change and develop law in the Kingdom of Bahrain?
The idea came up during a consultation between myself and a member of the Ministry of Justice at the time. The establishment of the notary offices were looked into and approved shortly after, so I was sent to the Kuwaiti Notary Public for training, as they had the model that we were looking to replicate, and later appointed as the first notary in Bahrain.
The establishment of the Public Notary in Bahrain, was a great development in the legal
sector as it provided an official notarisation and attestation services office for the public that is easily accessible to issue and notarise various certifications, powers of attorney, contracts and memorandums etc. What we established greatly streamlined procedures.
You were appointed to be part of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris in early 2012. What can you tell us about this?
ICC appointed me a member of its Court of Arbitration and I participated for seven years as a member, travelling to Paris every other month to attend court meetings. As an arbitrator, I had to be aware of the constitution of the court and all countries who are members of the ICC, which required a lot of hard work on my end.
This was the beginning for me in the realm of international arbitration which paved the way for my participation in ICC Bahrain. In 1999, the Kingdom established ICC Bahrain which I joined in 2012 as a member of the court. The establishment of ICC Bahrain is significant for the promotion of international arbitration more broadly, as a conduit for strengthening the rule of law in the region and beyond.
You have participated in many local and international arbitration cases as both: counsel and arbitrator. How has this participation been instrumental in your career?
When I started in the international arbitration field, arbitration was a little-known field of practice in the region. The few of us who were doing it were nearly all general practitioners, and arbitration was just a side-line. In subsequent years, arbitration has developed into a sophisticated and important practice area and has now become one of the principal means in resolving high level commercial disputes.
As a founding member of the Bahrain Bar Association, member of the International Court of Arbitration at ICC, the GCC Arbitration Committee, member of BCDR board of trustees, the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration and a lawyer in general, I learnt to keep in mind that the law and the needs of clients are always evolving.
Ultimately, the objective is to distinguish oneself in the practice, which requires an ability to embrace rejection with persistence and resilience. In the race to do well, it is critical to be patient and to work hard.
Over the last 48 years, what are some of the greatest developments you have seen in Bahrain, where law is concerned?
From 1968 to 2022 there have been a whole lifetime of developments! Of course, there are key judicial and legislative developments that changed the legal system in the Kingdom such as the issuance of administrative reform decrees by HH the late Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Decree No. (2) stipulated the establishment of a justice department that includes three departments: the courts, the real estate registry, and the funds of minors. in 1971, the Ministry of Justice was established, which replaced the Department of Justice and the Notary Public Act (Notary Public) was issued.
1989 was very exciting, when the court of cassation was created to monitor the application of the law itself and the highest level of the judicial system. For lawyers, that
was a great achievement for Bahrain’s legal and judicial system and we were very proud to be a part of it. During that period, and until the late 90s, many laws were issued including civil and commercial law and all the other laws that we work with today.
Later in the 2000s we witnessed a new chapter of developments by HM King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa beginning with the establishment of a supreme judiciary council followed by the new action charter and the establishment of a constitutional court. This is in addition to several developments and achievements regarding laws, and the judicial and legal system which followed.
The establishment of ICC Bahrain in 1999 and BCDR in 2009 was a huge leap in the development of international arbitration and dispute resolution in the kingdom and the region. It was a great opportunity for us lawyers to have the option of alternative dispute resolution in commercial and international cases right here at home!
The developments from the 70s until now are huge and I am grateful for being a part of and witnessing such great leaps in the history of the legal and judicial system in the kingdom.
How has the trend changed in terms of women seeking careers in law over the years?
If I remember correctly. there was a study which showed that more than half the lawyers and many judges in Bahrain are women. Legally, Bahraini women are recognised in the Bahraini Constitution as equal to Bahraini men with equal opportunities in their professions.
In my personal opinion the legal system in Bahrain supports women in their career development as lawyers, arbitrators and judges, we have a number of practicing lawyers, judges and public prosecutors all hardworking, extremely professional high achievers.
We are encouraging the promotion of women in these sectors and there is no limit to what they can achieve. My daughter and wife are both lawyers, and two of my grandchildren are studying law too!
As one of the most prolific commercial lawyers in the Kingdom, what is some of the best advice you can give people who would normally seek your service?
My best advice for anybody with a legal issue is to try and settle it amicably rather than through litigation. It’s not because courts are complicated, but the timing and costs increase exponentially the longer it goes on. Settling amicably avoids lengthy litigations, time is money too!
You were previously the director of courts at the Bahraini Ministry of Justice, and a member of the board of directors of the Bahraini Bar Association. What would be your advice to young Bahrainis pursuing a career in law?
For those wishing to practice law, a graduate needs to acquire litigation experience, which can be acquired domestically or internationally. Having litigation skills prepares a lawyer well for any field of law including arbitration.
It is further, of course, highly desirable to have a good knowledge of different languages specifically English since many documents and contracts are now drafted in English. It also helps if you can find intellectual satisfaction in your chosen field of practice as I have been lucky to do in the fields of commercial law and arbitration. It makes it so much easier to work when it is a pleasure to do so!
Finally, I would advise any upcoming lawyer never to stop reading to educate themselves further as law is a continuously developing subject. So, my advice is be patient, informed and flexible.
You have had a very illustrious career to date. As someone who has already achieved so much, what are your ambitions in the near future?
To see my children and grandchildren take over from me so I can take a back seat or maybe specialise in arbitration only! In all seriousness, my ambitions are very simple - to continue working; my work is my happy place and I’m most comfortable when I’m busy solving a problem or planning a case strategy.
THE HEIGHT OF LUXURY
Onyx Bahrain Bay Project by Kooheji Development has been awarded the ‘Best Luxury High-Rise Penthouses in Bahrain 2022’ by Luxury Lifestyle Awards
Eng. Mohamed Al Kooheji
The iconic project, Onyx Bahrain Bay by Kooheji Development, was awarded the ‘Best Luxury High-Rise’ for its penthouses by Luxury Lifestyle Awards. The award comes after the successful launch of the penthouses which Kooheji announced in June 2022.
Luxury Lifestyle Awards is renowned internationally for connecting people with the best of luxury through extensive evaluation. The global award selects, recognises, celebrates, and promotes the best of luxury goods and services all over the world. The victory brings companies status and recognition, global promotion, and exposure to an entirely new market of customers.
The penthouses, which redefine the concept of a luxury lifestyle in residential towers, are the crown jewels that showcase Kooheji’s extensive real estate experience and capabilities in its most recent project, Onyx Bahrain Bay. The spectacular penthouses are an exclusive collection of the most luxurious and unmatched penthouses in the real estate sector in the region.
A Prestigious Project
Ideally located at Entrance 2 of the picturesque Bahrain Bay, Onyx Bahrain Bay offers easy access to the King Faisal Highway and Bahrain Airport, and proves to be a gateway to the best of Bahrain’s food and leisure destinations. The towers of Onyx Bahrain Bay are the height of elegance, adding a new aspect to Bahrain’s skyline. These freehold residential towers offer many firsts for Bahrain’s residential developments, including a 50-metre infinity pool, indoor gardens, and the exclusive residents-only Onyx Club Lounge.
“Our experience in managing luxury residential towers will ensure that these towers are of the highest quality. At Kooheji, we strive to create experiential residential projects that reflect our 14 steps of harmonious series of real estate solutions for each stage of the project’s life cycle. This approach establishes a solid platform capable of achieving the most luxurious high-rise residential towers in the region,” says CEO of Kooheji Development, Eng. Mohamed Abdulghaffar AlKooheji.
“Our understanding of what customers value and market opportunities has set our projects as the first choice for customers, whether people are looking for a new home with luxury lifestyle or investors are looking to achieve strong ROI,” he adds.
The iconic property offers Bahrain the most luxurious of penthouses with six unique layouts from 220 sqm to 850 sqm. These include 3.5 bedroom apartments, Duplexes, and Bahrain’s largest penthouse spreads over three floors with panoramic views of the breath-taking Manama skyline and infinite sea views.
Onyx Penthouses – Truly Unique
The penthouses at Onyx Bahrain Bay provide a definite statement of luxury and style. They offer unmatched comfort, a resort-like lifestyle, and spectacular views of the city and sea. This project has great value represented through the unique designs and luxury finishing of the penthouses in Onyx Bahrain Bay. Each penthouse was carefully designed to optimally utilise space, considering homeowners’ needs and expectations during spatial design and distribution. The stylish residences in the striking twin towers of Onyx Bahrain Bay offer the ultimate luxury resort-style living in an unrivalled location with personal service and amenities which are usually only found in the world’s most opulent hotels. Hence the panel of experts at Luxury Lifestyle Awards have named Onyx Bahrain Bay the winner in the category of ‘Best Luxury High-Rise Penthouses in Bahrain 2022’. This is the second time the project has received the prestigious award, after winning it for the first time in 2020.
Commenting on the award Kooheji Development General Manager of Marketing and Business Development, May Marzooq, says: “We are delighted that Onyx Penthouses have been recognised by the experts at Luxury Lifestyle Awards as a winner in the category of ‘Best Luxury High-Rise Penthouses in Bahrain 2022’. Onyx Bahrain Bay is a truly unique development located at Bahrain’s most prestigious address that offers its residents
an impressive selection of facilities and apartments of the highest standards. We are proud that the judges have rewarded our efforts to create the best of the best.”
Celebrating the Team
Eng. Mohamed Abdulghaffar AlKooheji says: “We at Kooheji Development are committed to delivering the highest standards while developing our projects. We have demonstrated our unique philosophy of backward integration and forward thinking with our 14 steps, from market requirement to feasibility studies that achieve the highest standards of execution and attention to detail.”
He highlighted that the team is highly experienced and dedicated to providing the best possible project delivery standards.
“I would like to congratulate all the teams from various disciplines of Kooheji Development for contributing to delivering the highest standards with commitment to quality and attention to details that delivers unique lifestyle experiences,” he says. “These teams are gathered to add value with our 14 steps offer which includes cost control to working with partners of supply chains, to ensuring the use of the best raw materials. In addition to our key strengths, having Kooheji Contractors as our construction arm with its extensive in-house capabilities that deliver beyond conventional contractors’ capabilities.”
The appeal of quality of life the residential developments offer is clear, as they cater to the growing demand for higher living standards. The future of residential developments of gated communities’ compounds, high-rise residential towers and town houses, can offer the absolute best in lifestyles and sustainability. “The team worked tirelessly to create highend luxury standards, and has received a tremendously positive response from the market. This shows that there is a real need for luxury residential towers that offer the best in community living. We will continue to challenge ourselves to create unique real estate products that add value to Bahrain’s market,” concludes Eng. AlKooheji.
SWING INTO
American Mission Hospital’s much anticipated Island Annual Charity Classic Golf tournament returns for its 23rd edition this month.
Companiesand individual teams are looking forward to an exciting time of golfing at American Mission Hospital’s 23rd AMH Island Classic Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
The three-day event will be taking place from October 27 to October 29.
“His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa allows us the use of his private golf course in Saffriya for the tournament. We are very grateful for His Majesty’s ongoing patronage for over 23 years,” said the corporate CEO of American Mission Hospital, Dr. George Cheriyan.
“After a two-year pandemic break, we are glad that we are able to resume the annual golf tournament where avid golfers, from Bahrain and abroad, come together to display their skills on the golf course,” he added.
Founded by missionary doctors 120 years ago, the not-for-profit American Mission Hospital first opened its doors to Bahraini community in 1903. It has been serving in providing healthcare ever since.
The golf tournament raises funds which help in upgrading the hospital infrastructure, and in conducting various community outreach programmes.
AMH works with many charity and humanitarian organisations by offering free medical and surgical help to those affected by Down syndrome, geriatric illnesses, deaf and mute complications, blindness, and various other problems.
Working with orphanages, rehabilitations centres, and homes for the elderly, the hospital also gives medical support and guidance through active healthcare, and also through workshops, seminars, counselling and interactions as a part of the AMH community outreach work.
For the poor and the underprivileged, the Zwemer Clinic in AMH Manama, provides healthcare at bare minimum charges if not completely free.
The AMH Island Classic Annual Golf Tournament, which first started in 1997, is now usually held in October-November, and has become an important part of Bahrain’s sporting calendar.
Large corporate houses of Bahrain participate in the event as sponsors, players, and other kinds of supporters.
The winners, sponsors, and organisers will also be meeting at the Gala Night, at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa on Sunday, October 30.
For details on how companies and groups can support, as sponsors or participants, kindly contact the FCM Manager (for Fundraising, Community Outreach and Marketing), Ali Tarada, or his team members, by calling 17 248-136 or by writing to: communications@amh.org.bh.
A NEW PREMIUM TASTE FOR TEA LOVERS
Tea connoisseurs across Bahrain can rejoice due to the introduction of a fantastic new brand of Ceylon Tea called Terapy Ceylon. LNS Trading, a part of LNS Media, was proud to showcase the exquisite range of tea at Bahrain
The island nation of Sri Lanka is known across the world for its hospitality, natural resources and minerals, but it’s undeniable that its most sought-after product all around the world is its flavourful tea.
Terapy Ceylon Tea is proud to introduce its range of herbal, organic and mostly vegan tea to the Middle East market through LNS Trading – the official distributor of Terapy Ceylon tea in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The vibrantly fragrant Terapy Ceylon Tea is currently available in six delectable flavours: Reviving Ginger & Honey, Immune Tea, Organic Cozy Chamomile, Peppermint Boost, Organic Moringa Power & Prana Ease.
LNS Trading intends to expand the range with the addition of more health-related teas including Slim Team and Tummy Ease, rooted in Ayurveda. The ancient holistic science of Ayurveda, which has been wellpreserved for centuries, has cured many
This Month’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
diseases and granted longevity where modern medicine has failed.
The ancient healing methods of Ayurveda were practiced by Sri Lankans who perfected the art of healing through generations of experience. These practices culminated in the form of potent herbal brews, earning Sri Lanka worldwide acclaim for their glorious teas. Camellia Sinesis plantations were introduced to the island nation over 150 years ago. Since then, Ceylon Tea has thrived as one of the most premium luxury beverages in the modern world.
Terapy Ceylon Tea Can be purchased online at homiez.me/terapy-tea/ product or through the Entertainer Bahrain application to avail of an exclusive offer. Alternatively, you can
purchase the teas at Raw Candy located at Bahrain Financial Harbour or Almoayyed Towers. This is in addition to Bahrain Specialist Hospital Pharmacy Juffair, Qunta Medical in Enma Mall Riffa.
For more information, call 77 151-197 or 36 555-595 or follow @terapy_ceylon.bh.
Mental Health on our MIND
One of the most important topics in the world today is mental health. Despite this, it is often the most difficult to talk about but through concerted efforts, this is changing. Kristian Harrison spoke with Yasmin Drummond, wife of the British Ambassador to Bahrain, His Excellency Roderick Drummond, about her history of charitable work and how she is changing the conversation in the region.
What's your own background within the field of mental health? Have you been part of initiatives or charities in the past?
Growing up I heard of my grandmother’s visits to mental health hospitals and charities. I know now that one in four people struggle with mental health at different periods in their lives. I realise that families find it difficult to ask for support when family members are affected.
I have lived in Bahrain for three years now. My conversations with Bahraini friends really opened my eyes to the importance of doing something here to raise awareness and tackle the stigma attached to mental health.
Obviously, we all know the stigma around mental health and how much barriers have come down over the past decade or so, but do you feel there is still a long way to go?
Yes, there is still a long way to go, because the stigma of mental health leads to social exclusion, to loss of status, to unemployment, to lack of opportunities to establish a family, and it can limit access to education. Crucially it means patients and their families feel reluctant to seek and receive help. It is a profound social problem that leads to many other problems and complications.
Furthermore, do you think the task of breaking down these barriers and 'opening up' is tougher in the Middle East than say, the West?
Obviously cultural and religious reasons etc. I think the problems are the same in all parts of the world, although in the UK in recent years it has become easier to talk about it openly as many people have led campaigns to raise awareness, notably Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales (through their organisation Heads Together). It is starting to get easier to talk about it here in Bahrain, but the problems are the same in all societies. We need the media’s help to persuade people to deal with it in a kinder way, to break down stigma, and together find more systematic and affordable ways to
provide support to people who need it.
What have your experiences with mental health been since you've been in the Middle East? Have you noticed changes in how the topic is approached compared to when you first arrived?
I feel very fortunate, since many people have shared their stories and experiences with me. Because I come from outside this society, people know that I will not judge or gossip about individual cases, which can be very destructive. I know that there is a growing community of Bahrainis and others who are willing to come together to work for progress.
How important do you think raising awareness is? Do you think this is the main driving force behind a change in attitudes regarding mental health?
I see raising awareness as the first step in the journey. We need to change the narrative around mental health, to encourage everyone to use kinder language, to stop criticising or shaming people. We want to try to take away the fear, or embarrassment, to not describe people as childlike, or unintelligent, or unpredictable, dangerous or lazy. We should stop using unkind language to describe different conditions. All of these things lead to social exclusion, which we should avoid.
Once we have made progress in some of these areas, we should try to provide more equal access to social and economic opportunities, to give greater respect to those having problems and also give them hope that their condition can improve. In the longer term I hope we can encourage the provision of a helpline to offer direct support and services to those suffering from mental health issues.
What campaigns and efforts have you been part of in the past to raise awareness? In your opinion, what are the best ways to spread the message?
I hope that patients, their families, media, bloggers, influencers, schools, employment
places, celebrities and mental health professionals are able to share positive mental health stories. They can all help us talk and think about things in new ways that are inclusive and non-threatening, to help address the problems of stigma.
As we go forward, I hope more people will gain courage to share some of their own stories publicly, which will encourage and reassure others who are suffering in silence. And I hope that activities, like art exhibitions, or performances, or discussion forums, will show us how people can tackle issues in different ways. We will also want to highlight the symptoms of mental health emergencies and crises and explain how and when people should seek help from mental health professionals, or support groups, who all have vital roles.
Can you go into details about MIND Bahrain yet or are you still awaiting approval?
I'd love to talk about it but obviously there's that dreaded red tape again! We are hoping to establish an organisation called MIND Bahrain in the coming months, to bring people together to raise awareness, pool the resources of those who want to help, and develop a programme of activities.
Once MIND Bahrain is properly registered with the authorities, I promise we will launch it with a fanfare of trumpets, to let people know how they can help, and publicise what support we can offer.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I would encourage anyone with questions about mental health to research it. There is so much information available now. It can help us all to know about different kinds of mental health issues, to understand better when someone is suffering from an ongoing condition, or indeed when they are having a sudden episode or crisis. We must not fear it, solutions and support are available, for individuals and family members affected. It is OK not to be OK.
Bahrain This Month’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
Bahrain this Month, which published its first edition in September 1997, celebrated its 25th Anniversary at Oliveto restaurant in Adliya. Bahrain This Month is the Kingdom’s first ever monthly magazine of any language. The event was held under the patronage of the Royal Humanitarian Foundation, and was attended by over 250 guests including ministers, ambassadors, dignitaries, business associates, clients and well-wishers who gathered to celebrate the memorable occasion. During the event, the publication launched the region’s first NFT magazine cover which featured the artwork of over 30 artists with a connection to Bahrain. The launch included the online launch of 340 NFT artworks on OpenSea. Proceeds raised through the sale of the NFTs will be donated to three worthy causes to benefit the community of Bahrain.
Eltonwas born and raised in Bahrain to a Pakistani family, and has cultivated his love of music since his formative years.
Now aged 25, he has forged a career as a fulltime musician, writing his own material while freelancing as a saxophonist.
“Growing up with two elder brothers who had a passion for music, I was always surrounded by music in my home as a child,” Elton says.
“I first started learning to play the drums at my church when I was 13 years old. However, I’ve always been intrigued by the sound of the saxophone but didn’t quite believe that I could ever play it. Finally, one day when I was 17, I managed to convince my parents to buy me the tenor saxophone and I’ve never looked back since. I instantly knew that my horn and I were in perfect harmony.”
Aside from the sax, Elton plays other woodwind instruments like the clarinet, which requires a similar technique with the reed mouthpiece. He also plays the aerophone, which is a digital sax and MIDI instrument which focuses more on music production.
Focusing on different instruments and style is a philosophy Elton shares with his music taste.
“I actually listen to various genres of music as
I think it’s important not to restrict myself to only certain styles,” he explains. “Branching out and listening to other genres helps you to discover new sounds and allows you to fully appreciate the art. There is a genre for every emotion you’re feeling.”
“My favourite artist is a tough one but a few I can think of at the top of my head would be Tom Misch, Masego, Snoh Aalegra, Billie Eilish, Leon Bridges and Hozier. As saxophonists go, I have a lot of appreciation for Michael Brecker, Paul Desmond, Gerald Albright, Kenny G and Dave Koz,” he says graciously.
To fine tune his skills, Elton makes it a habit to practice every day at his home studio. “Even a little practice is good practice. It comes very naturally to me as I genuinely enjoy it. I always like to experiment with different genres and create a fusion between them; I believe flexibility is important as a musician,” he says.
Considering Bahrain’s small size and slightly limited opportunities compared to other countries, it would be easy for a budding musician to be pessimistic about their opportunities or to keep musicianship strictly as a hobby. Elton sees it differently, however,
and he is happily performing across the Kingdom regularly every week.
“Performing in Bahrain undoubtedly has both: its strengths and challenges,” he argues. “Nonetheless I love performing on this island I call home amidst so many supportive and loving people. I’ve been quite fortunate to have my work appreciated by international celebrities like Grammy award-winner Carla Morrison, Masego, Bruno Major and Foushee. It is always such an honour and a privilege to put this beautiful country on the map as we have such amazing talent here but they don’t often get the recognition they deserve.”
“My plans for the future are to simply keep working hard on myself as an artist, keep growing and most importantly inspire others, especially young kids, to keep working towards their dreams despite the naysayers. Do what you love and the world will follow,” he says.
You can find Elton on all social media platforms including Instagram (@eltonsherasax), YouTube, Tiktok and Spotify.
Bahrain’s burgeoning music scene caters for all genres, tastes and instruments. Kristian Harrison spoke to pioneering saxophonist, Elton Shera, about his love of woodwind and turning talent and passion into a successful career.
A MAGNIFICO BUSINESS LUNCH!
Nothing screams ‘Italy’ like fast cars, classical art and incredible gastronomy. When it comes to Italian cuisine, there are a number of restaurants in Bahrain to choose from but for an authentic and extraordinary experience Primavera at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain takes the cake… or should that be the tiramisu?
This month, Kristian Harrison devoured their phenomenal business lunch.
Located at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, the quaint outlet has a new business lunch that is just as appealing to the palate as it is to your wallet, with three delicious courses for BD25 net and an extensive choice of options.
Featuring gorgeous views of the hotel’s beach and the deep blue sea on one side and Bahrain’s iconic skyline on the other, Primavera is a beautiful location with interiors that merge the classical and the contemporary. It’s a view that deserves to be enjoyed in daylight as much as the night time, so it’s one of the many reasons why the business lunch is a great idea. Of course, the hugely varied dishes made from the finest and freshest products is another.
The three-course business lunch menu offers four choices each for the starter, main course and dessert. Bread and olive oil dip is also served beforehand by the friendly, affable staff at the restaurant. The menu is quintessentially Italian with a mixture of light and tasty mixed with stylish takes on the classics we know and love.
I started with a delicious Minestrone soup, packed with flavour and more importantly, a plethora of healthy vegetables such as zucchini, broccoli, tomato, cauliflower and potato.
I also sampled the Zuppa a Frutti di Mare , labelled as a local fresh seafood soup. Now, I usually try and avoid anything that comes out of the sea but even I must admit that the few sips I had were delectable. The freshness of the shrimp and combination of flavours were a delight.
For the purposes of this review, I got to sample a few of the main courses and I wasn’t disappointed! I plumped for the Rigatoni alla Bolognese, featuring thick tubes of pasta filled with an incredible meaty sauce packed with flavour. This dish was so decadent that I wish I’d just ordered three courses of that. Another highlight was the rich yet delicate Risotto ai Funghi that kept me salivating until the Pollo Arrosto arrived, which was a simply glorious half debone roast chicken with vegetables and mashed potato. The skin was so crispy yet the meat so tender – a clear
indication of the exceptional skills of the culinary team.
Even after all that food, I still had a little room left for dessert and the tempting Tiramisu capped off a spectacular meal. Featuring just the right amount of sweet mascarpone cream to offset the bitterness of the coffee, this was simply magnifico! Of course, our table being peppered with ice cream and sorbets from vanilla to raspberry to lemon and pistachio certainly helped it go down!
The food, company and views were so fantastic that I will certainly be returning once the weather cools down so I can make use of the stunning terrace dining area. It’s a more informal setting and overlooks the gorgeous wide landscaped gardens of the resort which gets you in the moment even more.
Primavera’s business lunch is available Wednesday-Thursday and Sunday-Monday from 12.30pm-2.30pm. For reservations, call 17 586-499.
JUST GEORGIAN
Bahrain’s first ever Georgian Food Festival is coming to town, at Gulf Hotel Bahrain’s Al Waha Restaurant. From October 6 – 14, this nine-day long food festival will showcase traditional Georgian culinary delights, from Khinkali to Khachapuri and many more Georgian favourites. Lunch and dinner are priced at BD13.800. Wednesday Butchers night is for BD18; Thursday Seafood Night is for BD25, or BD32 with selected grape; and the Friday Brunch is priced at BD23, with free-flowing soft beverages, or BD29 with free-flowing selected beverages. All prices are subject to applicable taxes.
Call 17 713-000.
LET’S EAT!
If you think the summer had your feet dragging, its time to be raring to go. With Bahrain’s fine dining eateries buzzing with unbeatable offers and activity, islanders are in for a rollicking time this month.
ARABIC ENTICEMENT
A SPANISH SPIN
Origins Restaurant at Vida Beach Resort Marassi Al Bahrain is where you can experience true Spanish flavours along with some international favourites at the Spanish Vida Friday Brunch on October 14, from 1pm – 4pm. If you’re looking for ways to spice up your palate, this is the perfect brunch escapade. Sip on some special cocktails and feel relaxed with live entertainment and free-flow drinks for BD28, inclusive of soft beverages, or BD34, inclusive of selected beverages. Kids aged six – 12 dine for BD14. All Spanish citizens enjoy a 25 per cent discount.
Call 77 488-100.
The popular Arabic Pop-Up returns at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, with newly added dishes on the menu by Oriental Speciality Chef, Tony El Khoury. The best of Arabic cuisine awaits you at this pop-up restaurant by the beach on the Four Seasons Beach Deck, from Tuesday to Saturday, between 6pm – midnight.
Call 17 115-500.
LIGHT IT UP!
Crowne Plaza will celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights, at Spices restaurant with a decadent array of delicious fare on October 24. Dine like royalty and savour authentic Indian dishes spiced perfectly by Chef Pramod, along with live cooking stations. To keep you and your family immersed in the experience throughout the event, it will be a karaoke night to sing your favourite Indian songs along with your loved ones. The festivities are priced at BD25, inclusive of selected beverages, or BD15, inclusive of soft beverages. Kids aged six – 12 years dine at BD7.
Call 17 531-122.
TRANSPORT YOURSELF TO TURKEY
Baharat restaurant at Le Meridien City Centre Bahrain will set the stage for Turkish National Day Celebrations on October 28. Guests will enjoy a Turkish Night buffet with entertainment, priced at BD17 per person, with soft beverages, or BD27 per person, with selected beverage. Advance reservations recommended.
Call 17 171-441 or WhatsApp
885-841
DELICIOUS UNDERWATER TERRORS
A Halloween-themed Seafood Night is on every Monday at Silk’s restaurant, at the Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain. Dive in and taste the freshest catch of the day including a selection of popular and traditional seafood dishes. A vast variety of aquatic delicacies —sushi, sashimi, seafood dim sum dumplings and tempura, oysters, slipper lobster and tiger prawns, to popular fish like hammour or red snapper await you. Let the talented team of chefs prepare your favourite catch, just the way you like it. The buffet runs from 7pm – 11pm, priced at BD26+++ per person, including unlimited selected grape, ale and soft drinks, or BD22+++ per person, including unlimited soft drinks and water.
a platter of oysters.
460-017 or WhatsApp 33 640-032
GREEK GOODNESS
Every Friday, from 6pm – 10pm, join in for an evening filled with authentic Greek family-style food cooked to perfection accompanied by traditional Greek tunes at Rigani, located at InterContinental Regency Bahrain. The à la carte menu starts from BD6. The Degustation menu is priced at BD22, for the soft beverage package; BD28, for the House grape or ale package; or BD31 for the selected spirits package. Kids between six – 15 years dine at 50 per cent discount. Also available on Talabat.
227-777.
CARNIVOROUS TREASURES
Churrascaria Nights at Via Brasil, located at Wyndham Garden Manama, are on daily, except Mondays, from 6.30pm –11.30pm. It’s an All-you-can-eat meat selection, including Picanha, Fraldinha, and Tenderloin with Parmesan crust, Rib-eye, striploin, garlic chicken wings, lamb chops, and more, grilled to perfection and complemented with fresh choices from the salad bar, along with lip-smacking grilled pineapple. Dine as you admire the great view of the skyline. This Unlimited Churrascaria inclusive of soft beverages starts at BD25 per person.
66 398-787.
FUN AT FURN
Furn Bakery & Rotunda at The Westin City Centre Bahrain will be abuzz this October with dining happenings. The venue will have the RISE Pink Afternoon Tea from 2.30pm – 5.30pm, from Sunday to Thursday, priced at BD12, with a spread of finger sandwiches, homemade scones with jam, a colourful array of pastries, and unlimited tea and coffee. From October 28 – 31, it’s October Trick or Treat for little ones in their favourite costumes in the bakery, with face painting activity, while the parents enjoy Pumpkin inspired beverages and desserts to mark Halloween.
Call 17 171-000.
FLAVOURS OF JAPAN
Chef Takagi Kazuo will be at Sato, at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain, this October. Guests can indulge in authentic Japanese cuisine, and enjoy a selection of the Chef’s spectacular recipes from October 11 – 15.
There will also be an ‘Art of Cooking’ class with Chef Takagi on October 15, where participants will discover a thing or two about the world of Japanese cuisine. The session costs BD38. All prices are subject to applicable taxes.
Call 17 713-000.
BOO!
PRIVATE DINING PRIVILEDGE
Da Rosa, at Fraser Suites Diplomatic Area Bahrain, offers you a private buffet-style service in a venue of your choice at the hotel. Guests can choose the buffet setting in the restaurant, starting from BD8 per person, in a private venue for BD10 per person, or in a penthouse for BD18 per person. There will be a choice of five cuisines to choose from: Asian, Arabic, International, Indian and Italian. A minimum of 15 guests are required for the reservations, which are subject to availability. Terms and Conditions applicable.
Call 33 621-016 or 16 161-840
On Friday, October 28, Vida Beach Resort Marassi Al Bahrain’s Origins Restaurant will be buzzing with terrifying treats and freaky fun at the Vida Halloween Friday Brunch, from 1pm – 4pm. Sip on some spooktacular cocktails while you admire the endless sea views and feast your eyes on some spooky Halloween specials. The afternoon is priced at BD28, inclusive of soft beverages, or BD34, inclusive of selected beverages. Kids aged six – 12 dine for BD14. Little brunchers will discover a Halloween-themed kid-friendly experience with fun games. The best dressed will receive a mystery prize! Qix Kids Club has made some exciting arrangements, games, activities and hauntingly interesting treasure hunts for children, with fab prizes.
Call 77 488-100.
ITALIAN DELIGHTS
La Mosaique Restaurant at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain presents the L’Italia A Tavola Experience; the true flavours of Italy, every Tuesday, from 7pm – 11pm. Enjoy the live cooking of pasta in different flavours alongside tasty dishes. The experience is priced at BD18, with soft drinks.
Call 17 531-122 / 39 242-391
A HEARTY LUNCH
Downtown Rotana offers a Mediterranean Flavours Lunch
Buffet at Flavours on 2 every day except Fridays, from noon – 3.30pm. This sumptuous lunch is priced at BD12, and now is the time to make the most of the introductory discount of 25 per cent, valid till the end of October.
Call 13 119-999
A DAZZLING DIWALI
Jashan’s Diwali celebration at Wyndham Garden Manama will make your Diwali a memorable one with your family and friends. Experience the classic set menu crafted by celebrity chef, Jainul Khan, on Monday, October 24, from 7pm - 11.45pm. The evening is priced at BD12 per person.
Call or WhatsApp 66 398-787.
GET YOUR SPOOK ON!
On October 28, get ready for a seriously spooky party at Ya Hala Rooftop Lounge at Ramada Hotel & Suites Amwaj Islands by Wyndham, along with a scary-good buffet dinner, hocus pocus beverages and frightening fun for everyone with live entertainment. Dress as a nightmare and win the best Halloween costume contest. The fun starts from 7.30pm up to 11.30pm, priced at BD12, with unlimited soft drinks, or BD22, with free flow of selected beverages. A group of 10 or more guests enjoy a 10 per cent discount.
Call 66 390-498.
HAVE A FANTASTIC FRIDAY
Fridays are meant to relax and unwind, and what better way to do that than at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.
Treat yourself to an à la carte brunch with family and friends at CUT by Wolfgang Puck while enjoying Wolfgang Puck’s favourite dishes prepared by Executive Chef Brian Becher and his team. This exquisite culinary offering is available every Friday, from 12.30pm – 03.30pm, priced at BD36, inclusive of limited beverages, or BD50, inclusive of the extended beverage package.
Call 17 115-044.
GET THE WEEKEND GOING
Bite into your favourite dishes and get ready to welcome the weekend at Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain’s Flaming Nights, at Silk’s restaurant every Thursday, from 7pm - 11pm. Satisfy your taste buds with the finest quality and ultraflavorful steaks, sizzling skillets, and flame-grilled meats all in one place with live entertainment from the DJ. The evening is priced at BD26+++ per person, including unlimited selected beverages.
Call 17 460-017 or WhatsApp 33 640-032
ONE FOR THE SUSHI LOVERS
Teatro at the Downtown Rotana offers Infinite Sushi Night every Wednesday, from 6pm – 10pm, priced at BD19. Fans of this popular cuisine can savour the best quality sushi at this chic venue.
Call 13 119-999.
A CHIC BREAKFAST
Majestic Arjaan by Rotana’s Ginger Restaurant stages an International breakfast Buffet daily, from 7am – 10.30am. The hearty morning meal is priced at BD10+++. So, don’t miss fueling up for the day at this venue.
Call 17 370-000.
Launch of BIC Season 2022/23
Bahrain International Circuit held a press conference to announce the launch of Bahrain International Circuit Racing Season
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE
There are several challenges that employees face when entering the workplace. Sadly, dealing with harassment in various forms including discriminatory, retaliatory and racial harassment can be one of them. It’s undeniable that dealing with harassment can be distressing as it can be emotionally and mentally draining for the victim.
It’s essential that people understand the various types of sexual harassment, and know how to best handle the situation to protect themselves and hold the culprit accountable.
What is sexual harassment?
According to Merriam Webster dictionary, sexual harassment is “Uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical behaviour of a sexual nature especially by a person in authority toward a subordinate (such as an employee or student).”
A 2016 U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) study found that 75 percent of people who experience workplace harassment failed to act or bring it up with a supervisor, manager, or union representative. A major reason is that employees fear retaliation and bullying, while a possible reason for underreporting is that employees subjected to inappropriate behaviour are not clear on when it crosses the line into illegal sexual harassment. Today, sexual harassment often takes on shadowy subtle forms. Instead of being propositioned or groped, a victim might receive suggestive texts or images, unsolicited sexual comments, innuendos, or invitations to meetings that somehow turn into dates. Sexual harassment is just as likely to happen through emails, social media, or other venues outside of the office as physically.
Many women, and sometimes men, are subjected to sexual harassment of various forms in their workplace and the many challenges that come with it. Bill Grieve looks at what sexual harassment is, what women can do and suggests a few resources to help those that are caught up in situations that are intolerable.
The Two Types of Workplace Sexual Harassment
Quid Pro Quo Harassment
Occurs when a colleague or superior requests sexual favours or other sexual activities in return of a work-related action. For instance, “You will get promotion if you sleep with me.” or “You will be fired or disciplined unless you make me happy.”
Hostile Work Environment
Takes place when an employee is subjected to unwelcome physical, written (texts/emails) or verbal conduct of a sexual nature that is so severe or pervasive as to change the employee’s working conditions or create an abusive hostile work environment.
While Quid Pro Quo Harassment is relatively straightforward, a Hostile Work Environment can be more difficult to detect. What types of behaviour qualify as sexual harassment and how much is enough to qualify as harassment? We provide some guidance below.
Types of Sexual Harassment Conduct
Overt Sexual Harassment - This includes unwanted kissing, touching of private areas, rape in the extreme, other forms of sexual assault, requests for sexual favours, making sexually explicit comments, uninvited massages, sexually suggestive gestures, catcalls, ogling, or cornering someone in a tight space and rubbing against them.
Subtle Forms of Sexual Harassment - Any of the following actions can be sexual harassment if they make an employee feel uncomfortable, intimidated, or distracted enough to interfere with their work:
• Repeated compliments on one’s appearance
• Commenting on the attractiveness of others in front of an employee
• Discussing one’s sex life in front of an employee
• Asking an employee about his or her sex life
• Circulating nude photos or photos of women in bikinis or shirtless men in the workplace
• Making sexual innuendos or jokes
• Sending sexually suggestive text messages or emails
• Leaving unwanted gifts of a sexual or romantic nature
• Discussing or spreading sexual rumours about an employee, or
• Repeated hugs/other unwanted touching (such as a hand on an employee›s back, feeling hair, touching hands).
To qualify as a hostile work environment, the conduct must not only be offensive to the employee, but also to a reasonable person in the same circumstances.
Renowned Bahraini lawyer Saad Al Doseri of Al Doseri Law shares his thoughts on the topic
“The law covers the legal aspect of such an offence at the workplace. However, the law did not define what sexual harassment is. Though, it does state that sexual harassment can be through a gesture, verbal (eg. conversation, written communications), physical conduct, or any other means. Since the ways in which sexual harassment is committed cannot be limited, the law has kept the means of committing such an offence open-ended by stating any other means. The common understanding of sexual harassment changes from time to time and is subject to the culture of a country, its people and environment. Therefore, the law avoids defining sexual harassment, allowing the courts to apply the current common understanding.
From my experience, I have witnessed many incidents and guided some clients on how to deal with such behaviour. For instance, I recall a female employee who resigned from her new job due to male co-workers who made her work experience extremely difficult, although there was no physical contact. The harassment included side talks about her personal life, trying to speak with her after working hours, prolonged staring and insisting on one-to-one meetings, whether necessary or not. Tolerating such behaviour for any reason, even to maintain the job, will likely encourage the offender and others to continue and be more aggressive.
Do you believe that you have been subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace? Here’s what you should do:
1. Take action at once! At the earliest opportunity verbally, yet firmly, tell the perpetrator to stop.
2. If the instances of harassment do not stop, avoid situations of sole contact and stay with other people always.
3. Do not respond to informal communications like texts and block the perpetrator.
4. Report any inappropriate behaviour as soon as it surfaces repeatedly.
5. Start a detailed journal/diary of each incident detailing the date, time, witnesses, what happened, location and as many other details as possible.
6. Use your wearable technology or phone –remember you will have to prove that the harassment has taken place so gather as much evidence as possible.
It could be challenging to deal with such an issue in small and mid-size organisations. There is no room to transfer from one department to another since there are all on the same premises. In larger organisations, usually, there would be policies in place and proper internal systems to protect the employees. Therefore, practical guidance and steps would depend on the workplace, individuals involved and the circumstances.”
7. Write down witnesses and their details.
8. Talk to colleagues discreetly and see if any other staff have been harassed and make careful notes of conversations for evidential purposes.
9. Consider approaching a local lawyer who can grasp the circumstances quickly and act on your behalf discreetly but assertively – not necessarily formally.
REMEMBER TO BE FEARLESS AND TAKE ACTION!
100 Bahrainis to be Trained on Digital and E-commerce
E-commerce platform in Bahrain, Homiez. me, will be launching an initiative to train 100 Bahrainis in the field of E-commerce and equip them with necessary knowledge and skills.
The initiative is part of the platform’s efforts to integrate more local talent in the thriving sector while supporting Bahrain’s efforts to undergo a digital transformation, and create a knowledge economy.
“The programme has been tailored to ensure that all trainees master the foundations and skills of practicing e-commerce based on the most recent global data. Hence, the programme will include theoretical and practical sessions, projects, internal and external participation, and six months of on-the-job training,” explains Homiez Chief Digital Officer, Sadiq Abdul Rasool.
Participants will be trained by Homiez dedicated teams which includes professionals in programming, design, research, marketing and communication among other areas. Details for the course including timings, registration procedures and requirements will be announced at a later date.
BAHRAIN ASSOCIATION OF BANKS DISCUSSES PLANS
The Board of Directors of the Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB) held a meeting chaired by the Chairman of the Board, Adnan Ahmed Yousif, in the presence of the members of the Board of Directors and CEO of BAB, Dr. Waheed Al-Qassim.
The Board discussed the arrangements for the annual gala dinner that BAB intends to hold under the patronage of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa Crown Prince, Deputy
BENEFIT REVIEWS
Supreme Commander and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The Board also reviewed a number of events, programmes and activities implemented by BAB, including the strengthening of the role of banks in the economic recovery plan and the strategy for the development of the financial services sector.
In addition, the board approved the establishment of a cybersecurity club for banks
CORPORATE STRATEGY
The Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, BENEFIT, held a meeting in cooperation with the Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB), and under the supervision of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), to present its three-year strategy and roadmap 2022 to 2024. The meeting was held in the presence of BAB’s specialised committee members and a number of financial and banking institutions’ members.
BENEFIT’s roadmap for the next three years comes in line with its four core strategic pillars including
with the aim of creating a platform to discuss the issue while proposing legislations that shall enhance cybersecurity in banks.
BAB also followed up on the arrangements for the holding of the Bahrain Economic Forum in December 2022, which the BAB intends to organise in cooperation with the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Bahrain, and the Economic Development Board.
advancing payment infrastructure to enable new payment schemes, empowering access to credit, support digitisation of the government and key sectors, and internationalisation to develop key alliances and partnerships across borders. The three-year strategy was presented by Deputy Chief Executive at BENEFIT, Yousif AlNefaie, followed by an open floor discussion where committee members and financial sector representatives were invited to participate in the discussion and submit recommendations to incorporate within its strategy.
The ‘Smart Investor’ Programme
Bahrain Bourse has announced Ahli United Bank (AUB) as a Gold Sponsor for the fifth edition of the ‘Smart Investor’ programme. ‘Smart Investor’ is a national awareness programme organised in collaboration with INJAZ Bahrain, and part of the government school curriculum, aimed at promoting financial and investment literacy among elementary school students in Bahrain. This is achieved through interactive edutainment activities.
Chief Operating Officer of Bahrain Bourse, Narjes Jamal says: “Support, such as that received from AUB, allowed us to expand the programme by reaching out to more than 8,000 students last year. We look forward to witnessing the positive effect on students’ financial confidence, basic monetary principles, and the long-term financial planning skills that they will establish.”
The programme consists of seven themed sessions designed to equip students with the following concepts: Thinking, Specifying, Planning, Execution, Saving, Progression, and Evaluation. Upon completing the programme, students will be able to identify several financial payment methods, such as debit and credit cards, cash, and cheques, as well as recognise the value of saving and develop knowledge on basic financial planning concepts.
VIDA BEACH RESORT MARASSI AL BAHRAIN RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
Vida Beach Resort Marassi Al Bahrain has been selected as the ‘National Winner for MENA’ in the ‘Hotel Project of the Year’ category of this year’s 2022 MEED Projects Awards, in association with Mashreq.
The beach resort draws inspiration from art, design, entrepreneurship, and fashion.
The lifestyle destination and metropolitan space boasts beautifully appointed, contemporary rooms and vibrant dining outlets, all enjoyed in a beach-front setting.
“We are delighted to announce that more than 100 projects have claimed national honours across 18 categories and represent countries from across the MENA region.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, cost inflation and increased logistics costs, the high volume of quality projects that were completed over the last 12 months are a strong indication of the region’s continued progression,” says MEED Group Commercial Director, Sonia Kerrigan.
Following an extensive submission and judging process, each of the National Winners were selected on the basis of a number of factors including technological innovation, engineering excellence, and commitment to sustainable practices.
Ebdaa for Microfinance - Bahrain has announced the expansion of its current programmes to include the video game sector. These programmes will be made available to hundreds of Bahrainis who intend to launch new businesses or expand their current ventures. Through the initiative, Ebdaa intends to support the digital transformation process and knowledge economy in Bahrain while helping Bahraini youth with ideas and projects related to the design and programming of video games.
Ebdaa CEO, Dr. Khalid Al-Ghazzawi, stated that a committed research team is working to identify the funding requirements of video game developers. The research will then determine which of the lending programmes currently offered by the company will best cater to this group of young Bahraini programmers and designers.
“We are also prepared to support video game tournaments in the Kingdom as they have the potential to promote the electronic games sector while having a positive impact on the recreational and tourism sector,” says Dr. Al- Ghazzawi.
According to a report recently published by ‘Fortune Business Insight’, Bahrain’s market share of video games increased from USD203.12 billion in 2020 and is anticipated to reach about USD546 billion in 2028 at an annual growth rate of 13.2 percent.
QUESTIONS: THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES
Pria Masson highlights why brainstorming and questioning are critical for the success of a business.
Ioncehad a client who hired me because I didn’t believe that the industry they wanted to launch in had significant potential. They believed that if one person could view the project from the mindset of a sceptic, the chances of success were higher. That’s the power of a questioning mind; in a business it is an absolutely invaluable asset.
A 2018 Harvard Business Review article talked about how, sometimes, a brain storming session can be very difficult because it can feel like ideas need to be forced. People do not always want to be judged for their ideas and some problems don’t always have obvious solutions. Instead, if we brainstorm for questions, the entire process becomes easier.
Why is this process of brainstorming and questioning so critical?
“Therapy” for Entrepreneurs
Brainstorming for questions (and answers along the way), is like therapy for entrepreneurs. It helps a leader to clear their head. To look at seemingly unimportant bits of information, and to realise a problem or a solution is brewing somewhere. One client was determined to charge end users for their
product. A quick brainstorming session later, we realised that in fact, the suppliers needed to be charged instead for sustainability. This won’t work in every business – but for that business, it was what allowed them to sustain.
The right questions, solve the right problems
Have you ever had a late night discussion with a friend where one person asks the most seemingly absurd question, which then leads to a very interesting conversation? Extrapolate that to your work life. What if you actively seek questions from the naysayers? What if you understand what it is that your competitors would do in response to what you are planning to do. If you keep asking what could go wrong, it’s likely you will be able to anticipate a problem far better. This is what business plans help you to do. They force you to think about so many aspects – and the financial impact of every strategic direction. Usually, that means you will question expensive decisions, weigh out the ones that are essential, and prudently use resources.
“Why (not)” is a very powerful weapon
Simon Sinek has an entire book on the importance of starting with “Why”. It helps you
understand your own motivations. Related to that “why not”, is equally powerful. Why not target that particular market? Why not try another pricing system?
Some of the most successful entrepreneurs always have some naysayers on their teams. Not because pessimism is pleasant, but because someone who doesn’t agree with you, operates in a different headspace. This also needs you, the entrepreneur, to be strong enough, humble enough and kind enough to make your space safe enough for those questioning minds.
I heard somewhere, that often, rewriting is more important than writing. Nowhere is this more true than in a businesses. The environment is full of factors that impact us. Take to the drawing board often. Go back, revisit, get feedback, re work. Keep questioning, because that is the only way to keep learning and growing.
Pria is the Founder and Managing Director of GMI Advisory WLL– a Management Consultancy specialising in emerging businesses. You can visit her company website http://www.gmiadvisory. com/ to connect with her. You can follow Pria at her Instagram handle @guide_my_idea
DQ Salmaniya’s 40th Anniversary
Venue #10 Soft Opening
BBBF Lunch
The Bahrain British Business Forum held a networking meeting, at Gulf Hotel Bahrain, which was attended by forum members, guest of honour HE Khalid Al Rumaihi, CEO of Mumtalakat and HE Roddy Drummond, British Ambassador. HE Khalid Al Rumaihi presented the keynote address which detailed Mumtalakat’s new investment strategy and highlighted its contribution to the national economy.
Fast, Green,
Even the most notorious gas-guzzling supercars are going green as the motoring landscape changes forever with the switch to electrical power. The new Ferrari 296 GTB has raised eyebrows with its V6 Hybrid engine, and motoring correspondent Kristian Harrison was invited to put it through its paces by the Maranello marque’s exclusive dealer in Bahrain, Euro Motors.
MAGNIFICENT MACHINE!
Asksomeone what their definition of heaven on Earth is, and you’ll get a variety of answers. Sipping cocktails on a golden beach? Enjoying a five-course meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant? Spending quality time with the family?
None of these is the correct answer, of course. For that is ‘taking the new Ferrari 296 GTB for a spin’.
On the drive down to Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa, my feelings were a concoction of nervousness and excitement. Despite this not being my first rodeo with a Ferrari, it was my first taste of the Italian manufacturer’s new era.
In fact, ‘hybrid’ and ‘Ferrari’ are two words you usually wouldn’t associate with each other. However, those geniuses at Maranello have not only gone and done it; they’ve made what is easily my favourite hybrid model yet but in a way that not only increases fuel economy but performance too.
The 296 GTB’s V6 plug-hybrid powertrain was certainly questioned by the brand’s longstanding fanatics. For decades, high-revving 12-cylinders were long considered the pinnacle of the marque, casting smaller engines as second-class vehicular citizens.
Open disdain for new engine technology was also evidenced by ‘fixing’ poor aerodynamics with good old-fashioned horsepower.
For this drive, I was assigned a special 1:1 instructor to sit with me and guide from the passenger seat. The friendly Sean Simpson, a professional racing driver and certified Ferrari instructor, was that man. Luckily for me, he knew exactly how thrilling an opportunity this was, and I could sense the kid-in-a-sweetshop giddiness emanating from him as much as me.
Therefore, there was no strict instruction to treat the car like a new-born baby, but instead like an old familiar friend whose buttons you want to push in the friendliest of ways.
Push buttons I certainly did, firstly the ignition to bring the 818 BHP engine to purring life. I pulled paddles too, putting the motor into drive but also later tested out the eight-speed dual clutch transmission. Of course, there was a little bit of dial twisting too from ‘Sport’ to ‘Race’ mode. Before the authorities come storming around to our office, I promise the only thing racing was my heart with the adrenaline but I had to try it!
The drive was incredible; I got to confirm first-hand that the 296 GTB can do 0-100kmph in 2.9s (it actually felt faster)
pulling 740Nm of torque.
I did not get as far as testing out the listed top speed of 330kmph (promise!) but as the car accelerated, the smoothness of the transmission up through the gears was incredible. However, even more impressive was the car under braking. I put it through a hard stop test and the car geared down so smoothly and remained so incredibly stable and planted that I may have well been nonchalantly cruising around the labyrinths of Adliya.
Unfortunately, there’s always the inevitably gutting drive back to base, but for this I shifted the car to hybrid mode and drove on battery power alone. When fully charged, you can drive for roughly 15 miles which is impressive considering the compact space Ferrari had to pack this technology in.
Sceptical though I was at first about such an iconic supercar brand marrying a supposedly ‘inferior’ V6 with a hybrid engine, the results are stunning and the 296 GTB blew my socks off. I’m hugely excited to see where Ferrari continue to push this technology.
For more information, visit the Euro Motors Ferrari showroom in Sitra or call 17 734-734.
BAHRAIN PROAM 1000 TO ZOOM IN THIS JANUARY
Bahrain International Circuit, ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, will host the ground-breaking GT endurance race dedicated to gentleman and semiprofessional entrants - Bahrain ProAm 1000 on January 28.
An innovative format sees entry open exclusively to ProAm and Am driver lineups. ProAm combinations feature an FIA Gold-rated, professional driver alongside Silver or Bronze team-mates, while the Am class is dedicated to drivers rated as Silver or Bronze.
As the first major international race in which Pro driver line-ups, consisting only of
professional Gold-rated competitors, are not permitted, the Bahrain ProAm 1000 becomes the only global GT endurance race to guarantee overall victory for a gentleman driver.
A high-quality field of GT3, GT4 and Cup cars from around the world will battle over 1000km on the spectacular Bahrain International Circuit.
The Bahrain ProAm 1000 is a cooperation between Bahrain International Circuit and
The Kingdom of Bahrain will once again host the opening race of the Formula One season as 2023 kicks off with a thrilling spectacle under the lights.
The race weekend will take place from March 3-5 and will be the fifth time that Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) has had the honour of being the opening race of the season.
BIC Chief Executive Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa says:
“After the record crowds, electric atmosphere and incredible racing which we were delighted to host in 2022, it makes us hugely proud to be hosting the opening round of the season.
“It’s a great honour for us to be able to host the first race of the season and we thank Formula 1 for placing their trust in us for what we hope will be yet another landmark occasion for the sport.”
Next year’s Bahrain Grand Prix will mark its 19th edition and a landmark tenth race at night under BIC’s state-of-the-art floodlights.
In 2023, Formula 1 will host a record total of 24 races, with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix taking place two weeks after the Bahraini spectacle.
For more information on the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix and other events at BIC, visit the circuit’s official website, www.bahraingp.com, or call the BIC Hotline on I7 450-000.
INDUSTRY
The BMW Group is working with different approaches to use plastic waste from the maritime industry as a raw material for vehicle components in order to conserve valuable resources and reduce CO2 emissions.
In a first for the automotive industry, the models of the NEUE KLASSE due to be launched from 2025 onwards will feature trim parts made of plastic whose raw material contains around 30 percent recycled fishing nets and ropes which are proactively sourced at ports all around the world.
Recycled nylon waste forms the basis for a synthetic yarn from which the floor mats in the BMW iX and the new BMW X1 are made. This material, known as ECONYL, is made from discarded fishing nets as well as worn floor coverings and residual waste from plastics production.
In an exclusive recycling process, waste material from the maritime industry is used to produce trim parts suitable for the exterior and interior of future vehicles. The resulting components have an approximately 25 percent lower carbon footprint than their counterparts made from conventionally manufactured plastics.
PEUGEOT EYES BEING MIDDLE EAST EV MARKET LEADER
PEUGEOT, which began its electrification strategy in 2021 in the GCC with the launch of the 3008 PHEV, is now offering a range of 100 percent electric passenger and commercial vehicles in the Middle East. PEUGEOT’s electric vehicles retain 100 percent of the functionality of conventional petrol and diesel versions, but generate zero noise, zero vibration, zero emissions and zero odour.
With this range of 100 percent electric passenger and commercial vehicles, some of the very first on the market in the region, PEUGEOT is aiming to be the leader in sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in the Middle East.
PEUGEOT further strengthens its electric line up in the region, with the arrival in the Middle East from of the e-PARTNER van and the e-EXPERT van which was awarded the title of International Van of The Year 2021. The two fully electric commercial vehicles from PEUGEOT Professional complement the brand’s passenger EVs - the futuristic and athletic e-208, and the new e-2008 SUV.
HYUNDAI MOTOR INTRODUCES THE NEW CRETA
A NEW ERA OF REFINEMENT FOR JEEP’S GRAND CHEROKEE
Thirty years after introducing its breakthrough premium SUV to the world, the Jeep® brand ushers in a new era of premium refinement with the launch of its 5-seater, fifthgeneration Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The Grand Cherokee’s all-new architecture and sculpted aerodynamic body style combine to improve vehicle performance, safety and reliability, while significantly reducing vehicle weight, noise and vibration.
The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup consisting of four models – Laredo, Limited, Overland and Summit Reserve – is now available now at dealerships in some Middle Eastern markets including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq and Bahrain. The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s legendary off-road capability comes down to three 4x4 systems – Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II, and Quadra-Drive II with rear electronic limited slip differential (ELSD).
The all-new Grand Cherokee boasts class-leading 3,265kg max towing with the available 5.7-liter V-8, rated at 357 horsepower and 390 lb. Ft of torque. While the standard all-aluminum 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine, rated at 293 horsepower and 260lb.-ft of torque, is lauded for its power and refinement, and rated for a towing capacity of up to 2,812kg.
Hyundai Motor Company has introduced the new CRETA 2023 - the newest model from Hyundai’s crossover/SUV lineup that has grown since its introduction in 2014. The new CRETA comes with a futuristic and strong exterior, a dynamic interior and a far-reaching set of advanced technologies that improves performance.
The new CRETA makes use of Hyundai’s innovative ‘Smartstream’ powertrain performance. These technologies aim to provide the car with better fuel efficiency, improved performance, and reduced gas emissions.
The powertrain specifications for the gasoline ‘Smartstream’ G 1.5L include an optimal airflow control which aims to control the amount of air intake, a more effective combustion, heat and friction control, reduced exhaust, and improved fuel economy.
The CRETA includes five driving modes for various driving situations including NORMAL, ECO, SPORT, and SMART. This is in addition to a number of enhancements including Forward Collision- Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic CollisionAvoidance Assist (RCCA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW) and Safe Exit Warning (SEW).
Streaming Television/Films
The Midnight Club
This new horror series comes from Mike Flanagan, the producer of The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, and centers on a group of terminally ill teens who make a pact: the first to die must send a sign from beyond the grave.
Last Seen Alive
After Will Spann’s (Gerard Butler) wife suddenly vanishes at a gas station, his desperate search to find her leads him down a dark path that forces him to run from authorities and take the law into his own hands.
The Good Nurse
Amy (Jessica Chastain), a compassionate nurse and single mother struggling with a life-threatening heart condition, is stretched to her limits by the night shifts at the ICU. But help arrives when Charlie Cullen (Eddie Redmayne), a thoughtful and empathetic fellow nurse, starts at her unit… that is until a series of mysterious patient deaths sets off an investigation that points to Charlie as the prime suspect, Amy is forced to risk her life and the safety of her children to uncover the truth.
The Munsters
Kicking off Halloween season, The Munsters is a Rob Zombie movie - a reboot of the series that aired in the 1960s. This offering serves as a prequel that will follow Herman and Lily meeting for the first time and their marriage.
Wendell & Wild
This is a stop-motion animated horror-comedy from director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and writer-producer Jordan Peele (Nope) that reunites Peele and Keegan-Michael Key as the voices of the titular demon brothers, who manipulate a troubled teenage girl into letting them into the Land of the Living.
Looking for something to watch? Check out Kristian Harrison’s top recommendations this month, which includes a few suggestions for Halloween.
Catherine Called Birdy
Lena Dunham directs this historical film about a young lady (Bella Ramsey) in 1290 England whose parents wish to marry her off in order to regain some medieval clout, so she schemes to sabotage their plans.
The Northman
Robert Eggers’ delightfully violent film set in Viking society is totally radical. Modern-day Viking Alexander Skarsgård stars as a prince out to avenge the death of his father, and he does so with both incredible patience and brutality. Eggers is one of the best filmmakers working today, and The Northman is another fine addition to his collection.
Andor
The latest in the suite of Star Wars shows, this gritty and more mature drama begins five years before the events of Rogue One and follows an ensemble cast of characters during the time that a Rebel Alliance is forming in opposition to the Galactic Empire. One of these characters is Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a thief who becomes a revolutionary and eventually joins the Rebellion.
The Bear
The Bear follows Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a young chef from the fine dining world, who comes home to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop –The Original Beef of Chicagoland – after a heartbreaking death in his family. A world away from what he’s used to, Carmy must balance the soul-crushing realities of small business ownership, his strong-willed kitchen staff and his strained familial relationships.
Candy
Candy Montgomery is a 1980s housewife and mother who did everything right – good husband, two kids, nice house, even the careful planning and execution of transgressions – but when the pressure of conformity builds within her, her actions scream for just a bit of freedom. With deadly results.
Muse Will of the People
Verdict:
An eclectic but highly-listenable record.
What’s the story?
Muse’s ninth album was recorded at frontman Matt Bellamy’s Red Room studio in Santa Monica, California, as well as Black Lodge and Abbey Road Studios in London. Bellamy said it was spurred by record label Warner’s request for a greatest hits album; instead, Muse decided to make an album that combined their previous sounds, describing it as essentially “a greatest hits album – of new songs”. Bellamy said the lyrics were inspired by “the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world as the Western empire and the natural world, which have cradled us for so long, are genuinely threatened”. He called Will of the People “a personal navigation through those fears”.
Worth a listen?
Revolution, geopolitical strife and existential crises have been Muse’s bread and butter for decades. Yet, after all these years singing about Armageddon from above, the real threat was coming from within all along. ‘Will of the People’ landed at a time of real crisis, when a pandemic, social division and a climate disaster pushed thoughts of alien invasions and intergalactic threats to the side. For Bellamy, the album’s title could go either way: will the masses protect democracy and save the earth, or devolve into the shadows of populism? Against that conceptual backdrop, Bellamy, bassist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer Dominic Howard crafted a set eerily similar to past works and the solution hits the mark on the group’s tightest effort to date.
DJ Khaled God Did
The 13th DJ Khaled album is dominated by the lead eight-minute title track –more precisely a fourminute section within it. “God Did” starts as nothing special, Khaled content aiming for anthem status with a solemn intro, halfpreening/half-motivational Khaled-speak, and identikit roles for Rick Ross and Lil Wayne. Jay-Z then astounds with an extended verse detailing the surreal contrast between his past and present, not without showing off a bit, emphasising his high standing by modifying the title to “Hov did.”
Ozzy Osbourne
Patient Number 9
Against all odds, Ozzy Osbourne’s 2020s output has been as strong if not stronger than the vast majority of his multidecade discography.
His 13th solo album, Patient Number 9, sounds rejuvenated and inspired, with its moments of hard-hitting, Sabbathechoing greatness far outnumbering its few bythe-numbers clunkers. Part of what keeps things lively is the all-star cast of guest guitarists that show up on almost every track. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready all contribute lead parts and solos to various songs, but some of the record’s best moments come when Ozzy reunites with guitar heroes from his past.
John Legend Legend
John Legend had been using his honorific stage surname for nearly 20 years when he felt that his track record finally merited its use as an album title.
The EGOT with a dozen Grammys somehow fought the urge until his eighth proper studio album, a set distinguishable from the rest of his catalogue mainly for its length and crowd of collaborators.
Legend, divided into halves, is an 80-minute set. The first disc is primarily up-tempo and loved up. Disc two, heavier on ballads, also contains more stylistic and emotional variety with a lasting partnership as a frequent setting.
APPS REVIEW
CHECK OUT SOME OF KRISTIAN HARRISON’S TOP PICKS FOR FUN AND USEFUL APPS THIS MONTH.
Skiplagged
Brainfood
If you feel like you’re spending most of your time aimlessly scrolling through social media, whether it’s Twitter, Instagram, Reddit or Facebook, then maybe you need a change. Pull yourself out of the scroll hole and learn something for once thanks to Brainfood. This ingenious app offers bite-sized ‘knowledge nuggets.’ So, enjoy 30 seconds of useful information while sitting on the bus, on the toilet or on your couch. It’s fun, engaging, and genuinely interesting.
There are plenty of travel apps out there that’ll help you plan your travel itinerary, book your flights, find you a hotel, etc. What makes Skiplagged different is the fact that it searches a littleknown area of bookings called ‘Hidden City’ flights. Essentially, these are flights that can be booked more inexpensively than normal because they occur as layovers to other destinations. It’s a complicated process, but basically, Skiplagged sifts through all the possible combinations in order to get users the cheapest flights possible.
CARROT Weather
Tired of the pre-downloaded weather apps on your device? We get it. There are tons of options but few deliver quite like CARROT Weather. Users can set the app’s ‘personality preference’ so if you’d prefer a buttoned-up weather experience, CARROT works fine. Or, if you’d like a little snark and sarcasm with your forecast, you can get that too. While the quips are fun, the streamlined, clean design of the app makes it stand out.
Zombies, Run!
Looking for a little encouragement on your next cardio workout? This app has you covered. It turns your run or jog into an interactive game. Simply put in your earbuds, start the app, and follow the instructions for your mission. Speed up when the zombies chase you and earn supplies by completing workouts and ‘missions’. Zombies, Run! combines a health app with a great storytelling feature for a fun and invigorating workout.
games GAMES
WHAT IS IT?
FIFA 23 is a football game developed by Electronic Arts. It is the 30th and final instalment in the series under the partnership between EA and FIFA. Future football games by EA without the inclusion of the FIFA name are set to be named under the banner of EA Sports FC.
GAMEPLAY
The game features ‘HyperMotion2’, a system of match capture with machine learning from real life football matches to create more than 6,000 in-game animations. Technical Dribbling uses what is being called the Active Touch system to improve the footballer’s path to the ball and improve a player’s turning and dribbling with more responsiveness. With expanded crossplay, the addition of women’s club football and two FIFA World Cups in its release window, FIFA 23 is going out with a bang.
GRAPHICS
The game features a suite of aesthetic changes that seek to immortalise the drama of FIFA. If you do manage to score a screamer, the game will now reward you with woodwork and netting sound effects that boom out of the DualSense controller on PlayStation 5 and a slo-mo augmented reality replay that overlays statistics like distance, power and ball speed.
SESSION
Inspired by the golden age of street skating – the 1990s – Session: Skate Sim lets you experience true skateboarding and its culture: no scoring system; just you, your spot and your imagination! With the dual stick controls, each stick represents one of your feet. You will need to learn how to control them and transfer weight, just like on a real skateboard. The physics have been developed with a focus on realism, smoothness and immersion.
FIFA
VERDICT:
A familiar football experience RATING:
SERIAL CLEANERS
Serial Cleaners is a top-down stealth-action game, where you get to experience being a murder scene cleaner for the mob in 1990s New York. Alternate between four cleaners, each with their own unique style, and live their stories.
RETURN TO MONKEY ISLAND
Return to Monkey Island is an unexpected, thrilling return of series creator Ron Gilbert that continues the story of the legendary adventure games The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. It’s been many years since Guybrush Threepwood was last locked in a battle of wits with his nemesis, the zombie pirate LeChuck. Clever puzzles, bizarre situations, and devastating ripostes are all that stand between Guybrush and glory.
GADGETS
LASER DIFFRACTION PLATE
SCIENCE KIT
This gadget is an optical device that carries several different microstructure elements, so you can play with multiple examples of laser illusions. The polycarbonate plastic plate contains several different microstructure patterns, including two star fields, the moon, and even a globe that rotates as the laser beam is moved along the surface. All it needs is the attached laser pointer.
Available from www.amazon.com
VELOCITRAX
Fast, furious and fun, the Velocitrax is a gateway to some awesome RC action.
Complete with futuristic looks and fitted with industrial rubber tracks, this cool remote control all-terrain vehicle is a high-performance gadget with a cool 40-metre range and full function omnidirectional control.
Available at www.menkind.co.uk
3DOODLER CREATE 3D PRINTING PEN
Plug in your 3Doodler Create and give it about a minute to warm up. Then insert a strand of plastic into the back. There are two buttons and two speeds; press the speed of your choice, and watch the plastic flow out of the pen. Then, just draw and connect to fill in and make magic happen. You’ll never want to draw in 2D again after using this gadget.
Available at www.amazon.com
HALO LIGHT BELT
The perfect accessory for your pooch, especially in the dark, this gadget is a series of long-lasting bright LEDs, visible up to 1,500 feet away. The LEDs are embedded in high-quality silicon, so it is waterproof even if/when your dog finds every puddle in the entire park. It’s USB-rechargeable with an included micro-USB cable, and last up to six hours on a single charge.
Available at www.amazon.com
SPEECH BUBBLE LIGHT BOX
If you need a little prompting now and again as a reminder for doctors’ appointments, important anniversaries or party invites, let the Speech Bubble Light Box give you a helping hand. Shaped like a comic strip speech bubble, this luminous battery-powered light comes with its own stencil and pen kit, so you’ll be ready to write your words of wisdom as soon as your light arrives.
Available from www.thegadgetflow.com
BTM brings you the latest gadgets to push your technological buttons.
WEBSITES
With millions of websites to choose from, how do you pick one to spend time on? Check out Kristian Harrison’s top picks.
histography.io
Perfect for avid history fans. This massive, interactive timeline of history is dangerous and fun, because it will pull up Wiki pages for all sorts of historical events. Good luck not going down countless rabbit-holes.
mapcrunch.com
If you’re someone who loves seeing the world, Map Crunch will bop you around random Google Street View locations across the globe. Just tap the green ‘Go’ button to be transported to a new location.
websites autodraw.com
Autodraw allows you to freehand a doodle and then the site guesses what you were attempting to draw. It’s pretty fun for both: the artistically gifted and those who can’t draw anything.
Neon Nights Band at JJ’s Guests enjoyed a night at JJ’s Irish Restaurant with entertainment from Neon Nights Band.
flightradar24.com
Flight Radar lets you see every aircraft that’s currently in the air. While the map is a bit of an illusion – planes fly in a three-dimensional sky, not a 2D landscape – it is quite interesting to see how many aircraft pack the sky. Kill some time by seeing where your folks are jetting off to in real time.
OUT OF THIS WORLD
Evlin Khalifa has been crowned Miss Universe Bahrain and will compete in New Orleans for the crown title of Miss Universe in January 2023. She hopes to throw a spotlight on Bahrain as she raises the flag as the country’s second entrant. In this interview with Woman This Month, she talks excitedly to Farrah Saville about her meteoric rise, how she feels about representing her country and her fondest memories of growing up in the Kingdom.
Congratulations on being crowned ‘Miss Universe Bahrain’! How did you feel about winning?
It's definitely a big blessing. I still feel like I'm dreaming as this is the happiest moment in my life so far. I always wanted to make my country and our people proud as I am proud of them. If I look back at my life, I can say it’s been a long journey to earning this title. So, I’m naturally very grateful and happy to be where I am meant to be. That being said, now that I have a crown and title, I have a big responsibility as well - to represent Bahrain on the international stage and be a voice for not only women, but those who are unheard. I realised that winning is just one part of the job, but really winning involves going through the journey of having this title and accepting the responsibility of having this huge platform and shedding light on causes that are close to my heart. I believe that true winning is in giving, and that is my mission throughout my reign.
Why did you decide to enter the competition?
I want to show the world how beautiful, intelligent and talented Middle Eastern women are. I want to see more Arab representatives globally. There are very few representations of Arab women in Hollywood movies or Disney shows. For example, In the film Aladdin the role of Princess Jasmine is played by a non-Arab actress, but I'd like to see someone who is like us, someone who looks like us.
How do you feel about going to New Orleans to compete for Bahrain? Are you hoping to change any perceptions about women in the region?
It's a very special feeling for me to represent our Kingdom at the Miss Universe stage. Since it is only the second time we are going to send a representative, it's a big honour for me. The first representative, Manar Jess Deyani, has made a huge impact not only on our community but globally. I want to continue her legacy and show the universe the power in modesty and Bahrain as a country filled with love, genuine happiness and generosity.
I will make sure I do my best to let the whole world know how modern, talented and beautiful our Bahraini women are. We honour our traditions and customs, but at the same time, we combine it with modern values. That's why Bahraini women are unique.
As for visiting New Orleans, I’m quite excited to visit this US state as I haven’t visited yet. I’m also musician and since it’s known for jazz, I’m sure I’ll find it to be an interesting city. I'm planning to
the forefront celebrating her culture and identity on an international stage while remembering her values and traditions.
I would like to thank the Miss Universe organisation for this opportunity.
You advocate for education - is there anything else you'd love to study and learn more about?
I always search for something new to learn. For now, I'm planning to study psychology. All my friends can tell you my good predisposition for this interesting science; maybe I got it from my mother, who holds a psychology degree. All sciences are important, but for me our whole life rests on psychology.
invite all my family and friends as they would all like to attend this beautiful show and support me.
Did you get any resistance to you entering and representing Bahrain? Have you faced any online bullying?
With regards to online bullying, of course, I have already faced some bullying; people might say I'm not pure Bahraini, which is true but it doesn't make me less Bahraini than others. It's all about who you are inside. My heart is Bahraini, and I dedicate all my victories to my country. So, I'm not offended by these words, in the end, I know our people will support me as we are a very united nation.
Who has inspired you to compete and why did you decide to enter the competition?
Manar Deyani, definitely inspired me to think about beauty pageants and represent Bahrain. When I saw her representing our country on an international stage, I literally teared up because of how proud and happy I was. She was the first woman who wore a burkini in a swimwear competition and stated that we, Middle Eastern women, have the courage to express ourselves to the world, while respecting our traditions. Then, of course, the women of Bahrain inspire me. Every day I see them, and I am amazed by their passion, purposefulness and determination. I always wanted to be a beacon of hope and inspiration for young children, especially girls, to see an Arab woman at
It is interaction with others and with yourself. I want to be more useful in this area for those looking for harmony in life.
What is your advice for anyone wanting to enter the competition?
Don't be afraid to be yourself; share your experience and knowledge with others; you can be more helpful than you think. It's an amazing opportunity to represent your beloved country and express yourself to other women.
What is the greatest advice you've received to date that helped you to become the successful person you are?
Always believe in your dreams, and remember that you are the only one who can make it happen. Don't compare yourself to others; God created all of us in our own unique way. And never think of defeat; challenge yourself, and you will be a better version of yourself which is the main goal of our life.
What is your ultimate goal?
Unfortunately, children with a cleft suffer from external conditions that prevent them from breathing, eating and hearing. I'm planning to increase awareness of this issue to help children living with a cleft. Also, my goal is to help charities such as Smile Train, which is very close to my heart.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I am excited to start my official training. I will be flying to the Philippines to start my official training and also officially start my international engagements under the supervision of the Miss Universe Bahrain family. I am so excited to keep you updated on all the latest happenings in my preparations which I will be sharing on social media. Also, please continue to pray and support me in this journey. I hope to make all Bahrainis proud.
Follow @missuniversebahrain and @khalifa.evlin on Instagram for the latest updates.
Liberating Fashion
We can sense a change of season coming in the Middle East with the blowing of a gentle breeze and earlier golden hour. With this change comes the need for refreshing our wardrobe for the cooler months. Inspired by the flowing breeze and golden hour, we felt the need to delve into Johanna Ortiz’s elegant collection.
Inspired by the Spanish word libertad, which translates to freedom, the minimalistic collection is sensible, sophisticated and powerful. Those wearing the exquisite pieces are sure to make a strong and elegant entrance.
As the collection stands for freedom, the global brand will be donating a percentage of all sales to the women and children of Ukraine. Johanna Ortiz has collaborated on this initiative with Ukranian model Cate Underwood - the face of the collection.
Eveningwear returns with Johanna Ortiz this season and harkens back to the femininity of the empowering Golden Era. Central Asian crafts are celebrated in this season’s prints along with signature Johanna Ortiz references of tropical palms and South American flora - specifically in the hand embroidered Suzani and Ikat threading.
Must-Haves From Siella Beauty
Siella Beauty brings us another practical beauty solution with their new lip and cheek products. These must-have products combine makeup with skin care benefits for a gorgeous flush of colour while providing your skin with nourishing ingredients. Siella Beauty’s newest long-lasting lip & cheek tint will give you an undeniably fresh wash of colour to achieve a sun-kissed flush throughout the day. It’s lightweight, blendable and buildable to your desired level. Infused with rose water, the lip & cheek tint offers soothing and hydrating skin benefits. Their lip & cheek tint comes in two beautiful shades: Cherry and Strawberry.
We loved the first two shades to launch from their balm-like hydrating gloss collection. ‘Pecan’ has a brownish nude tone while ‘Sally’ for a peachy pink hue. The glosses have an ultra -pigmented formula making them ideal for wearing alone or layered over lipstick. Infused with a combination of nourishing organic shea butter, moisturising organic pistachio butter and smoothing passionfruit seed oil, these high-shine balm-like glosses deliver the shine you would expect from a gloss with the nourishing feel of a balm.
Available at www.siellabeauty.com, FACES and 6th Street.
Looking for the next best beauty product to pop into your bag? Check out Farah Baig’s top picks this month!
Yves Saint Laurent’s Versatile New Fragrance
If you love your fair share of edgy fragrances, you will love YSL’s new gender-fluid fragrance –La Vallière. The exclusive collection Le Vestiaire des Parfums revisits Yves Saint Laurent’s style in a collection of fragrant tributes, in an olfactory wardrobe inspired by the couturier’s signature fashion statements.
Just as Yves Saint Laurent drew his inspiration from masculine garments to reinvent women’s wardrobes, YVES SAINT LAURENT BEAUTÉ has created compositions showcasing an unexpected match of contrasting ingredients. The couture perfumery collection introduces a strikingly sophisticated addition to its elegant Vestiaire, inspired by YSL’s most gender-fluid accessory: La Vallière, a lustrous blend of pulpy fig and petally rose that gives the floral green genre a sleek, chic, androgynous twist. Several olfactory themes run through the fragrance - fruity, floral, green, woody… seamlessly intertwining the masculine and the feminine. There are several star players that make up the scent including blackcurrant bud absolute, fig, jasmine, rose essence, geranium and musk. Available at leading beauty stockists.
There are plenty of beauty products to choose from these days but not all of them meet our needs. We bring you the crème de la crème of selfcare and beauty products so you may truly stand out from the crowd.
Parfums de Marly’s Luxurious Body Oil
Luxury French Perfume House, Parfums de Marly, has expanded its Delina collection, unveiling an intensified sensual feminine blend with the ‘Delina Body Oil’.
Perfectly accompanying the Delina Eau de Parfum, the delicately scented dry oil adorns the skin with notes of rose, peony, lychee and grapefruit, on a subtle base of vanilla and musk. Inspired by the Delina collection of the famous Delina Exclusif and Delina La Rosée scents, the Delina Body Oil accompanies the collection’s shower gel, hair mist, body and hand cream.
The classic, yet decidedly contemporary floral blend of Delina was formulated in 2017 by the French perfumer Quentin Bisch. Inspired by 18th century perfumery and the Pavillon des Bains, a destination for wellbeing at the heart of the Château de Marly, the body oil is a sensual complement to modern beauty rituals.
Available across the Middle East at www.pmarly.com.
We’ve Got Our Eye on Tatti Lashes
World-renowned lash brand, Tatti Lashes, is ready to touch down in the UAE! The brand is officially the #1 lash brand (online) in Europe and is dominating the lash category globally. They are worn and adored as the ‘go-to’ lash brand for celebrities, influencers and makeup artists around the world.
In addition to a thriving portfolio of strip and individual lashes, Tatti Lashes retail an extensive range of accessories and beauty products for professionals and consumers. They have already collaborated with some of the biggest makeup artists in the world and graced the eyes of celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, the Kardashians and many more.
Tatti Lashes are environmentally conscious and suitable for sensitive skin as they are non-toxic, latex-free and vegan friendly. Already well established in Europe and the USA, Tatti Lashes is now on its way to the UAE to rejuvenate the lash category starting with a number of exclusive pop-up collaborations.
Visit www.tattilashes.com for more information.
Go Big and Bold with Flormar
Mascara has recently been elevated to a whole new level with the “anti-mascara” trend that has taken over TikTok. Interestingly, the ‘anti’ here doesn’t suggest a negative trend against using the mascara, rather it is one that embraces the mascara to create even bigger and bolder makeup looks.
Makeup lovers and influencers, including the likes of Huda Beauty and Divina Muse, are now applying mascara to their eyelids, temples, and even cheeks while experimenting with new strokes and patterns to create unique interpretations of the trend.
Flormar’s Big’ n Bold Mascara with its longlasting formula and special silicone brush is perfect to take on this trend without being heavy on the wallet. It also volumises your eyelashes and adds intensity and definition to your overall make-up. Available in both Lengthening and Waterproof variations, these mascaras feature a special smudge-proof formula that prevents clumping Available at all Flormar stores.
Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills
What's More Important?
Our fast-paced society may give you the impression that your child needs to constantly focus on academic skills, but this shouldn’t always be the case. Ouiam El Hassani tells us why we need to build our children’s soft skills.
Parents of young children tend to worry a lot about whether or not their kids are making adequate gains as they launch into their academic careers. While early education creates an important foundation for academic skills, many parents would be surprised to know that social skills are actually far more predictive of outcomes into adulthood than early academics.
These days, many parents and schools may be feeling the pressure to cut back on play and social interaction in order to get more ‘hard skill’ instruction time in, it's actually those ‘soft skills’ that are most predictive of longterm success.
Here are some of the most crucial soft skills you need to foster in your child during their early years:
Play
Play is a powerful catalyst for development in the early years. By playing with others, children learn to negotiate, problem solve, take turns, share and experiment. You can help your child build these skills by making time for free play with other children.
Problem-solving
It is tempting to swoop in at the first disgruntled squawk and make everything right again. We confiscate the object of the argument, set timers, or send children to play in different areas. We're good at problemsolving because we get SO MUCH practice as parents! And while some of this may be necessary for survival, our kids need some of that practice too.
So, the next time your child has a problem, invite them to take part in that problemsolving process. You'll still be an active player, supporting your child through the process, while allowing them to take the lead.
How to label and recognise feelings
Children who are perceptive to the emotions around them are also able to get along well with others. You can foster this skill by calling attention to emotional cues and naming emotions. Storybooks are full of conflicts and emotions; they offer an opportunity to discuss the observed emotions easily because your child isn't tied up in the turbulent emotions themselves. From this comfortable vantage point, they're able to be more thoughtful about the emotions on the page and apply their understanding in real life. Another thing to keep in mind is that research has shown that excessive screen use may interfere with a child's ability to recognise emotions in others. So, make sure your kids get plenty of time to interact face-to-face with humans, rather than with pixels and lights on a screen.
How to be helpful
Being helpful to others requires children to look beyond themselves and recognise the needs of others. By noticing and complimenting your child when you notice helpful behaviour, you encourage them to continue.
Control their impulses
Children need opportunities to practice impulse control as the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which controls impulses, doesn’t completely develop well into early adulthood. It can be done through movement games that require a child to stop and go like ‘Red Light/Green Light’, ‘Dance and Freeze’, and ‘Simon Says’. They allow kids to practice quickly shifting gears
and controlling their impulses to move. ‘Soft’ social skills are developed in early childhood through the slow, simple processes of playing and interacting, engaging with famiy, and paying attention to the world around us. Needless to say, while ‘hard’ skills are helpful, ‘soft’ skills will serve our children much better and for much longer.
Inauguration of BMC Sravana Mahotsavam
Ethnic Elegance
If you swoon over a warm colour palette, intricate patterns and eclectic textures, an Indian touch to your home might just lend you some added comfort. Bright and bold, earthy and rustic, this home décor style is a timeless one, more so when the popular Indian festival of Diwali is round the corner. Add a few Indian accents to your living spaces to set a festive tone to the season, and watch your home come aglow.
IN THIS TOGETHER
Awareness is undoubtedly one of the greatest assets women can have in their fight against breast cancer. This month, the Woman This Month team spoke to the Consultant General Surgeon and Breast Cancer Specialist at Al-Zahra Hospital Dubai Dr. Taghreed Almahmeed, an American and Canadian Board-Certified Surgeon who holds professional memberships with the American College of Surgeons, the American Association of Cancer Research and the American Society of Breast Surgeons.
She tells us how to conduct a breast exam, what symptoms to look for, and enlightens us on various treatments available to women.
Improving public awareness through campaigns is known to be significant in decreasing the overall mortality of breast cancer. “Head to your nearest health centre for routine breast cancer screening, which can help detect breast cancer before any symptoms are present. This is the most proactive and preventative thing you can do,” stresses Dr. Almahmeed.
“Cancer diagnosed before symptoms appear is more likely to be treated successfully, and the 5-year relative survival rate is 98 percent making early detection key,” she adds.
Menstruating women should conduct breast-self exams once a month, the week after their period ends when there is less swelling and tenderness. Women who have stopped menstruating or have irregular periods can pick a consistent day, like the first day of the month.
One of the signs that women must look or feel for is a lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm. Other symptoms include a change in the size or shape of the breast, dimpling or puckering of the skin, pulling in of the nipple or other parts of the breast or nipple discharge that starts suddenly.
“An itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple, or a new pain in one spot that does not go away are signs women should look for during the self-examination too. Should a woman feel any warning signs, she must go to a doctor,” she says.
The primary treatment for breast cancer at stages 1, 2 and 3 is surgery. “It is necessary
for women fighting cancer, and is recommended depending on the type, size, stage and grade, how advanced the cancer is, and whether the cancer cells are sensitive to hormones. Furthermore, it depends on the patient’s health and preferences,” she explains, adding that surgery is not usually performed on metastatic cancer.
The surgical approaches which women battling cancer can choose are a lumpectomy (partial mastectomy), a total mastectomy, a modified radical mastectomy, nipple sparing mastectomy or a mastectomy with breast reconstruction. “The breast looks closer to how it did before surgery with a lumpectomy which involves removing only the tumor and a rim of normal tissue around it. Radiation therapy is given after lumpectomy to remove any cancer cells that might remain in the breast, and it lowers the risk of breast cancer recurrence,” she explains.
During a total mastectomy, the whole breast is removed, including the nipple, while modified radical mastectomies involve an axillary node dissection. “This is when the surgeon removes the majority of lymph nodes under the arm,” she says.
Through a nipple sparing mastectomy, all the breast tissue is removed but the nipple,
areola, and skin of the breast is left intact. “Either a sentinel lymph node biopsy (removal and examination of the sentinel nodes), the first lymph nodes to which the cancer cells are likely to spread, or an axillary lymph node dissection will be done depending on the diagnosis and stage of the tumor,” explains Dr. Almahmeed.
Women can also opt for breast reconstruction which can be done at the same time as the mastectomy with implants or tissue flaps from somewhere else on the body.
“October is a month dedicated globally to Breast Cancer Awareness and so, I urge all women to make their breast health a priority and get themselves screened,” concludes Dr. Almahmeed.
Is there a skill you would like to learn?I would like to learn graphic design.
In Her Shoes
There is no limit to what an ambitious woman can accomplish. Women are naturally resilient, goal-oriented and capable of exuding an energy that inspires those around them. We had the pleasure of meeting one such woman, May Marzooq, who not only possesses these qualities but perfects them. Being the General Manager of Marketing & Business Development at Kooheji Development, May Marzooq is a truly professional marketing strategist who is passionate about formulating winning marketing strategies aside from cooking and all things related to food. Let’s step into her shoes!
What is a cause you are passionate about and why?
Planting trees because, in addition to its ability to fight climate change, greenery helps us achieve good mental health and wellbeing.
What are your top three perfumes?
Gris Dior, Lucky Dior, Pivoine Suzhou by Armani
What would you say is one of life’s greatest lessons to you?
That you will never find a work-life balance. Be authentic to yourself and do the best you can.
May Marzooq
What’s your favourite movie and why?
Inception. Despite the fact that it’s a science fiction movie, it shows how we can plant an idea in our minds and make it a reality - how our mind is capable of living a reality that does not exist.
What’s an achievement you are most proud of?
Having the ability to translate a business vision into marketing strategies that generate a solid business ROI.
If you could eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Chicken RisottoYour go-to ice cream flavour is?
Vanilla! Also, I am a cake person.
Name three things you are most grateful for right now.
My health. My family. My career.