Exhibition World Bahrain Secures “World’s Leading New Exhibition and Convention Centre 2023” Award at World Travel Awards 2023

Exhibition World Bahrain Secures “World’s Leading New Exhibition and Convention Centre 2023” Award at World Travel Awards 2023

The award accolade presented to Dr. Nasser Qaedi, the CEO of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), during the World Travel Awards 2023 Grand Final Gala Ceremony, which took place at Burj Al Arab in Dubai, UAE, on December 1, 2023.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB), the Middle East’s newest and largest exhibition and convention centre, is proud to announce securing the “World’s Leading New Exhibition and Convention Centre 2023” at the World Travel Awards 2023.

The award accolade was presented to Dr. Nasser Qaedi, the CEO of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), during the World Travel Awards 2023 Grand Final Gala Ceremony, which took place at Burj Al Arab in Dubai, UAE, on December 1, 2023, in the presence of HE Philip Joseph Pierre, the prime minister of Saint Lucia, tourism ministers, and travel elites across the globe.

Exhibition World Bahrain captured the highest number of votes, clinching the internationally recognised award from Bharat Mandapam, India, and Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition centre, New Zealand. With this unrivalled win, the Kingdom of Bahrain has further cemented its reputation as the leading global hub for the MICE industry due to Exhibition World Bahrain’s versatility, with its ultramodern amenities and innovative services that cater to all types of events.

Winning the “World’s Leading New Exhibition and Convention Centre 2023” award coincides with EWB’s 1st anniversary and celebrates a remarkable set of milestones. The venue is a sought-after destination for prestigious events, having hosted a diverse range, including large-scale exhibitions, conventions, conferences, congresses, grand weddings, live concerts, product launches, seminars and much more.

EWB is strategically nestled within Bahrain’s vibrant Sakhir area, the Kingdom’s up-and-coming hub for events, sports, and entertainment. The modern Arabesque structure is adjacent to Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), the home of Formula 1 and motorsport in the Middle East, Al Dana Amphitheatre, the newest live entertainment destination in the region, and the soon-to-be developed Bahrain International Sports City, with easy access to the new Bahrain International Airport, over 18,000 hotel rooms across the island, and a wide range of attractions and dining experiences.

Exhibition World Bahrain Secures “World’s Leading New Exhibition and Convention Centre 2023” Award at World Travel Awards 2023

The award accolade presented to Dr. Nasser Qaedi, the CEO of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), during the World Travel Awards 2023 Grand Final Gala Ceremony, which took place at Burj Al Arab in Dubai, UAE, on December 1, 2023.

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Nasser Qaedi, the CEO of BTEA, stated: “It has been a privilege to receive this coveted award at the WTA ceremony. This remarkable accomplishment reaffirms EWB’s exceptional performance and continuous strides in the MICE industry, which is aligned with Bahrain’s tourism strategy 2022-2026 objectives to position Bahrain as a key regional player in business tourism and host major international exhibitions and conventions, increasing the tourism contribution to GDP, rising the number of target markets, and diversifying the tourism product.”

Dr. Qaedi added: “With the implementation of mega tourism projects, the Kingdom of Bahrain is solidifying its position as one of the most sought-after destinations in the next five years, backed by well-developed infrastructure, unique attractions, and enticing promotional packages offering travel experiences and accommodations in the Kingdom’s most prominent hotels.”

Dr. Debbie Kristiansen, the General Manager of Exhibition World Bahrain, added: “We are immensely proud to achieve another success story in just one year of our venue’s operation. This well-deserved award underscores EWB’s continuous pursuit of excellence in attracting the most well-known and important events worldwide to the Kingdom of Bahrain, with many of them being hosted in Bahrain for the first time.”

Dr. Kristiansen added: “Thanks to BTEA’s clear vision and the venue’s world class state-of-the-art facilities, we are heading into brighter years by elevating our partners and visitors’ experiences and achieving further recognition in the future. We are still receiving a high level of interest from various international clients and event organisers who are interested in hosting their events in our venue, actively contributing to the growth of Bahrain’s business tourism, and impacting the national economy.”

Next Year, EWB will host the 9th World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in 2024, the world’s largest gastronomy tourism event, after the World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) recent announcement to name the Kingdom of Bahrain to host this prestigious event for the first time in the region, which reflects the Kingdom’s exceptional tourism and entertainment capabilities as one of the leading gastronomy and gourmet destinations in the Middle East. Additionally, EWB will host the 29th edition of Routes World, one of the world’s biggest civil aviation expos, for the first time in Bahrain. This event will bring together airlines, airports, and aviation stakeholders from across the world to build air services and drive global economic growth.

Since opening in November 2022, EWB has been an internationally recognised world-class venue for the MICE industry. In just one year, EWB has obtained a series of respected awards, rankings and recognitions. EWB and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) won the Eventseum Hall of Fame’s 2021 Global Innovation Award for Convention and Conference Centres in two separate categories: new construction and sole winner for the EMEA region during the IMEX 2022 Exhibition.

For the first time in five years, the Kingdom of Bahrain has re-entered the top 100 in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Global Rankings, claiming the 89th position for international events held in 2022 at EWB, which is considered the highest ranking for Bahrain in the last decade. It’s a testament to the evident impact of the transformation efforts in the country’s MICE industry and the growing value of the Kingdom as a strategic and favourable destination for business tourism.

EWB is a proud member of 12 international organisations and associations specialising in the MICE and business tourism sectors, including the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO).

About Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB)

Inaugurated in November 2022, Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB) is the Middle East’s newest exhibition and convention centre and the largest in the Kingdom of Bahrain. With ten halls, multiple exits and entrances, storage facilities, and wide-ranging services, the centre’s strong capacity will enable it to host several events and exhibitions simultaneously, making it an attractive location for local, regional, and international exhibitions. It also attracts all types of occasions of different sizes and arrangements, from large conventions and exhibitions to conferences and meetings, live entertainment performances, large weddings, galas and celebrations, and corporate functions.

The EWB’s conference centre features a main hall that can accommodate over 4,000 guests and can be sub-divided into three separate halls all equipped with the latest technical services to host international conferences and events. It also consists of various other halls for medium- and small-scale conferences and meetings.

Exhibition World Bahrain is owned by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), and is operated by BTEA’s strategic partner; ASM Global, the world’s largest and leading venue management and event services company operating the most prestigious exhibitions, entertainment and sports venues spanning five continents with a portfolio of more than 350 venues worldwide.

EWB is committed to continuing to host and attract large-scale international, regional, and local exhibitions, conferences, conventions, product launches, live entertainment, large weddings, and bespoke events from around the world, further elevating the Kingdom’s position as a regional pioneer in the MICE industry.

For more information about EWB and its state-of-the-art features and facilities, please visit: https://www.ewbahrain.com/

Contacts:

Basma Taha
PR & Marketing Manager
mobile: +973 3889 8090
email: btaha@ewbahrain.com

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CASGEVY Gets Bahrain approval for treatment, marking it second country in the world

MANAMA, Bahrain, Dec. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bahrain has become the second country in the world and the first in the Middle East to approve the use of CASGEVY (exagamglogene autotemcel) for the treatment of patients with sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. The treatment was developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, after conducting a series of successful clinical trials in the UK, US, France, Italy, and Germany, among others.

Following the UK MHRA’s authorisation to use CASGEVY, Bahrain is the second country in the world and the first in the region to approve this treatment.

This extraordinary development opens up new possibilities for medical advancements and reinforces Bahrain’s commitment to pioneering healthcare solutions, offering a better quality of life for patients with these blood disorders.

CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is a revolutionary gene-editing technique that holds immense potential for treating a wide range of genetic disorders. By harnessing the power of CRISPR, scientists can transfuse patients with their own edited stem cells to produce fully functioning hemoglobin and offer hope for patients with conditions that were previously considered untreatable, such as sickle cell anemia.

By embracing the revolutionary therapy, Bahrain is not only demonstrating its commitment to improving the health and well-being of its people but also positioning itself at the forefront of medical advancements in the region.

Her Excellency, Dr Jaleela Jawad Minister of Health stated “This authorization showcases Bahrain’s progressive approach to healthcare and its determination to remain at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs.”

The confirmation of approval by the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) of the Kingdom of Bahrain, followed thorough analysis and review undertaken by NHRA. Today, sickle-cell patients in Bahrain suffer from the very limited globally available options of treatment. Beyond bone marrow transplant, one of the only cures available for sickle cell disease is the use of genetic editing therapy, CASGEVY.

Commenting on this, Dr. Ahmed Alansari CEO of the National Health Regulatory Authority in Bahrain said, “The approval of the use of CASGEVY in Bahrain marks a significant turning point in the cluster of treatments on offer to Bahrainis. It is a testament to the country’s visionary leadership, dedication to innovation, and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of its citizens, while ushering in the highest quality of health care and wellbeing for them.”

For more information, please contact the National Communication Centre of the Kingdom of Bahrain on communication@ncc.gov.bh.

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House assures aid for quake-affected families in SurigaoMinistry to tighten inspections at fishing ports

The House of Representatives is actively coordinating with relevant government agencies to ensure prompt and comprehensive support to the people of Surigao del Sur who were affected by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on Saturday night. Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a statement on Sunday that they are prepared to mobilize resources and pass urgent measures that can aid in the recovery and rebuilding efforts. ‘With deep concern and solidarity, we stand with the people of Surigao del Sur in the aftermath of last night’s powerful earthquakes. These events have brought significant challenges, and our hearts go out to all those who have been affected,’ Romualdez said. The welfare and safety of affected residents are of utmost importance to the House, he added. “We will work tirelessly to address their needs during this critical time,’ he said. Romualdez also urged his colleagues and all sectors of society to join forces in extending help and compassion to the earthquake victims.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will tighten inspections at fishing ports nationwide due to pending problems relating to the entry/exit of fishing vessels, according to a representative from the Directorate of Fisheries under the ministry.

The office said, by October 2023, the country had 83,427 fishing vessels with a length of 6 metres or more. Over 72,200 vessels had registered and updated data on the VNFisbase database.

About 11,210 vessels had not registered or updated data on the database, a decrease of 3,393 compared to December 2022 as they were damaged and no longer physically exist. Meanwhile, authorities reported they had granted some 84,125 licenses.

In 2023, there are 76 storm shelters for fishing vessels in 28 coastal provinces and cities. The number of those facilities has reached 48.63% of planned and can offer services to just 43.76% of the total number of fishing vessels in the country. This data reveals that the construction of storm shelters is slower than planned.

Ac
cording to the directorate, the management of aquatic exploitation activities at fishing ports still has problems and difficulties, for example, understaffing at fishing ports, lack of database software on fishing ports, or improper connection between fishing ports. In addition, fishing port authorities fail to receive data from vessel monitoring system equipment installed on fishing vessels.

Moreover, the inspection and control of fishing vessels entering and leaving the port, crew members on vessels and seafood outputs face limitations.

To improve the management of aquatic exploitation activities at fishing ports, the office proposed to the ministry to provide investment capital to build and upgrade fishing ports and storm shelters.

It also suggested a pilot implementation of specialised fishing port models and seafood auctions at fishing ports to increase the value of fishing products.

It also calls for a database software that connects fishing ports, allowing them to share information to serve managem
ent and direction work.

Localities are urged to unify models for managing fishing ports according to the provisions of the Fisheries Law to ensure maximum efficiency of fishing ports and meet urgent requirements to remove the EC’s yellow card on Vietnamese seafood exports.

The directorate also emphasised the need to raise public awareness and engage the coastal community, relevant organisations and individuals to comply with legal regulations on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

High-level meeting of NAs to intensify relations among Indochina countries: Lao official


The first high-level meeting among the National Assemblies (NA) of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (CLV), to be held in Vientiane in the next few days, aims to enhance the friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation among the three countries, including their legislative bodies, Vice Chairwoman of the Lao NA Sounthone Xayachak said.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Xayachak said it is an honour for the Lao NA to host the first high-level meeting, an important event in the histories of the three NAs.

Since 2009, the three NAs have rotationally held annual committee-level meetings such as those among the committees for external relations; defence – security; and planning, finance, and auditing. At the sixth session of the committees for external relations in Laos in 2018, they agreed to hold their meeting biennially.

From October 17 to 21, 2022, the three committees for external relations held a consultation to discuss the organisation of a high-level meeting among the three NA
s. Also last year, the three NA leaders signed a joint statement approving the upgrade of the committee-level meeting to the one at the NA chairperson level so that the three legislative bodies’ relations will match the cooperation mechanisms among the Parties and Governments of the CLV countries, and agreed that the Lao parliament will host the first, she noted.

The official said the coming high-level meeting is intended to promote the NAs’ role in supervising, encouraging, and stepping up the implementation of the cooperation agreements, programmes, and projects signed among the CLV Governments, along with the multilateral deals to which the three countries are parties. It will boost the sharing of information, experience, and lessons about activities and the roles of the NAs. The event will also discuss and integrate the targets of the CLV Development Triangle Area into socio-economic development plans of the countries and their localities through the state budget allocation and the mobilisation of invest
ment from domestic sources and international development partners to the Development Triangle Area and others.

The meeting, which will focus on strengthening the parliaments’ role in promoting comprehensive cooperation among Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, will look into three cooperation fields, namely politics – diplomacy; economy, culture, and society; and defence -security, she continued.

Suggesting measures for enhancing cooperation to boost the countries’ economic integration to secure sustainable development, Xayachak held that the three NAs should work together to accelerate the implementation of the cooperation agreements, programmes, and projects signed among the CLV Governments, as well as the multilateral deals to which their countries are parties. They should press on with the partnerships in economic, trade, investment, health care, education, culture, tourism, and other potential fields; develop fundamental infrastructure; and properly build and perfect relevant legal regulations to facilitate t
rading activities and people-to-people exchanges to reinforce solidarity and mutual support among the three peoples.

The parliaments need to keep strengthening defence – security cooperation to guarantee borders of peace, friendship, and sustainable development cooperation. They should also continue encouraging the legislators of the provinces located in the Development Triangle Area to share opinions and monitor and report outstanding and urgent problems to the three countries’ NAs and Governments.

The official pointed out the need to establish NA friendship committees at the local level in the CLV Development Triangle Area and rotationally host annual meetings to review the implementation of cooperation agreements in the area. Besides, it is also necessary to step up mutual visits by leaders of governmental and legislative agencies to turn the Development Triangle Area into an area of peace, friendship, and sustainable development cooperation./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

High-level meeting of NAs to intensify relations among Indochina countries: Lao official


The first high-level meeting among the National Assemblies (NA) of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (CLV), to be held in Vientiane in the next few days, aims to enhance the friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation among the three countries, including their legislative bodies, Vice Chairwoman of the Lao NA Sounthone Xayachak said.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Xayachak said it is an honour for the Lao NA to host the first high-level meeting, an important event in the histories of the three NAs.

Since 2009, the three NAs have rotationally held annual committee-level meetings such as those among the committees for external relations; defence – security; and planning, finance, and auditing. At the sixth session of the committees for external relations in Laos in 2018, they agreed to hold their meeting biennially.

From October 17 to 21, 2022, the three committees for external relations held a consultation to discuss the organisation of a high-level meeting among the three NA
s. Also last year, the three NA leaders signed a joint statement approving the upgrade of the committee-level meeting to the one at the NA chairperson level so that the three legislative bodies’ relations will match the cooperation mechanisms among the Parties and Governments of the CLV countries, and agreed that the Lao parliament will host the first, she noted.

The official said the coming high-level meeting is intended to promote the NAs’ role in supervising, encouraging, and stepping up the implementation of the cooperation agreements, programmes, and projects signed among the CLV Governments, along with the multilateral deals to which the three countries are parties. It will boost the sharing of information, experience, and lessons about activities and the roles of the NAs. The event will also discuss and integrate the targets of the CLV Development Triangle Area into socio-economic development plans of the countries and their localities through the state budget allocation and the mobilisation of invest
ment from domestic sources and international development partners to the Development Triangle Area and others.

The meeting, which will focus on strengthening the parliaments’ role in promoting comprehensive cooperation among Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, will look into three cooperation fields, namely politics – diplomacy; economy, culture, and society; and defence -security, she continued.

Suggesting measures for enhancing cooperation to boost the countries’ economic integration to secure sustainable development, Xayachak held that the three NAs should work together to accelerate the implementation of the cooperation agreements, programmes, and projects signed among the CLV Governments, as well as the multilateral deals to which their countries are parties. They should press on with the partnerships in economic, trade, investment, health care, education, culture, tourism, and other potential fields; develop fundamental infrastructure; and properly build and perfect relevant legal regulations to facilitate t
rading activities and people-to-people exchanges to reinforce solidarity and mutual support among the three peoples.

The parliaments need to keep strengthening defence – security cooperation to guarantee borders of peace, friendship, and sustainable development cooperation. They should also continue encouraging the legislators of the provinces located in the Development Triangle Area to share opinions and monitor and report outstanding and urgent problems to the three countries’ NAs and Governments.

The official pointed out the need to establish NA friendship committees at the local level in the CLV Development Triangle Area and rotationally host annual meetings to review the implementation of cooperation agreements in the area. Besides, it is also necessary to step up mutual visits by leaders of governmental and legislative agencies to turn the Development Triangle Area into an area of peace, friendship, and sustainable development cooperation./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

High-level meeting of NAs to intensify relations among Indochina countries: Lao official


The first high-level meeting among the National Assemblies (NA) of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (CLV), to be held in Vientiane in the next few days, aims to enhance the friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation among the three countries, including their legislative bodies, Vice Chairwoman of the Lao NA Sounthone Xayachak said.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Xayachak said it is an honour for the Lao NA to host the first high-level meeting, an important event in the histories of the three NAs.

Since 2009, the three NAs have rotationally held annual committee-level meetings such as those among the committees for external relations; defence – security; and planning, finance, and auditing. At the sixth session of the committees for external relations in Laos in 2018, they agreed to hold their meeting biennially.

From October 17 to 21, 2022, the three committees for external relations held a consultation to discuss the organisation of a high-level meeting among the three NA
s. Also last year, the three NA leaders signed a joint statement approving the upgrade of the committee-level meeting to the one at the NA chairperson level so that the three legislative bodies’ relations will match the cooperation mechanisms among the Parties and Governments of the CLV countries, and agreed that the Lao parliament will host the first, she noted.

The official said the coming high-level meeting is intended to promote the NAs’ role in supervising, encouraging, and stepping up the implementation of the cooperation agreements, programmes, and projects signed among the CLV Governments, along with the multilateral deals to which the three countries are parties. It will boost the sharing of information, experience, and lessons about activities and the roles of the NAs. The event will also discuss and integrate the targets of the CLV Development Triangle Area into socio-economic development plans of the countries and their localities through the state budget allocation and the mobilisation of invest
ment from domestic sources and international development partners to the Development Triangle Area and others.

The meeting, which will focus on strengthening the parliaments’ role in promoting comprehensive cooperation among Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, will look into three cooperation fields, namely politics – diplomacy; economy, culture, and society; and defence -security, she continued.

Suggesting measures for enhancing cooperation to boost the countries’ economic integration to secure sustainable development, Xayachak held that the three NAs should work together to accelerate the implementation of the cooperation agreements, programmes, and projects signed among the CLV Governments, as well as the multilateral deals to which their countries are parties. They should press on with the partnerships in economic, trade, investment, health care, education, culture, tourism, and other potential fields; develop fundamental infrastructure; and properly build and perfect relevant legal regulations to facilitate t
rading activities and people-to-people exchanges to reinforce solidarity and mutual support among the three peoples.

The parliaments need to keep strengthening defence – security cooperation to guarantee borders of peace, friendship, and sustainable development cooperation. They should also continue encouraging the legislators of the provinces located in the Development Triangle Area to share opinions and monitor and report outstanding and urgent problems to the three countries’ NAs and Governments.

The official pointed out the need to establish NA friendship committees at the local level in the CLV Development Triangle Area and rotationally host annual meetings to review the implementation of cooperation agreements in the area. Besides, it is also necessary to step up mutual visits by leaders of governmental and legislative agencies to turn the Development Triangle Area into an area of peace, friendship, and sustainable development cooperation./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency