Manama: The United Nations World Trade Organization (UNWTO) election of a Secretary General was held under difficult circumstances and in an atmosphere that did not reflect fair competition between the candidates, Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, the President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) and Bahrain’s candidate, said.
Shaikha Mai, a trailblazer in sustainability through heritage preservation, and an influential Arab woman in global tourism with decades of public-private leadership and funding strategies, and Zurab Pololikashvili, the incumbent secretary general from Georgia, were the two contenders for the post of the Madrid-based international organization.
The election was brought forward from its usual date in May to January and the submission of candidatures from its normal date at the end of March 2021 to November 17, a move that tightened the nomination and campaign timeframe.
It did not give the member countries sufficient time to approve candidacies and made it difficult for candidates to carry out appropriate election campaign and compete, depriving them of ample time in light of the pandemic and the end-of-year holiday season.
The move was criticized by two UNWTO chiefs who served at the UN’s tourism arm for a combined 20 years, Francesco Frangialli (from 1998 to 2010) and Dr. Taleb Rifai (from 2010 to 2017), and who published a vitriolic statement denouncing the change to the election date.
Bahrain was the only country that succeeded to present a real candidacy, while other potential candidates had not been able to submit their application.
The election was held on January 19, the second day of the two-day UNWTO 113th Executive Council meeting in the Spanish capital. The Council is made up of 35 members representing 20% of the 159 members of UNWTO. The election result has to be confirmed by the UNWTO General Assembly planned for October in Morocco.
Shaikha Mai, the first woman vying for the UNWTO top post, said that despite the result, she was happy to have represented Bahrain in the global event.
“I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and to His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, who honored me with their trust to run for the post of UNWTO secretary general,” she said.
Shaikha Mai also thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Communication Center as well as the countries that supported her candidature.
“I will continue to work locally, regionally and globally to support the tourism sector and upgrade the tourism cultural infrastructure in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and boost local communities,” Shaikha Mai said.
“Cultural and tourism achievements can be accomplished from whatever position an official holds, and through joint work and cooperation, our cities can become better models for sustainable development.”
Shaikha Mai, who in 2017 was appointed Ambassador of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development and praised for her role in advancing culture as a key component of tourism development in Bahrain and the Middle East, has stressed that tourism at its best is an astonishing tool for sustainable development.
Shaikha Mai is a recognized figure in Middle East and global tourism circles for her dedication to the Arab cultural scene through her work in the fields of culture and arts.
Since 2008, she has held several official positions, including Assistant Undersecretary for Culture and National Heritage (2002-2004) and (2005-2008), Minister of Culture and Information (2008-2010) and Minister of Culture (2010-2015).
She is currently the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage (ARC-WH).
Shaikha Mai is the founder and chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Shaikh Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research, a non-profit and non-governmental center that aims to promote culture and preserve Bahrain’s urban heritage established in 2002.
Motivated by her profound belief in the power of culture and its role in advancing development, and by her strong commitment to protecting and preserving Bahrain’s cultural heritage in all its forms and promoting it locally and internationally, Shaikha Mai is leading national efforts to implement cultural policies and long-term strategies to develop sustainable cultural infrastructure and cultural tourism.
Her clear vision was transformed into reality when she launched the “Investing in Culture” initiative in 2006.
The initiative, unprecedented in the Middle East, contributes to building a partnership between the public and private sectors to invest in cultural projects.
Her vision and leadership transformed the cultural scene in the Kingdom and resulted in the global recognition of Bahrain’s historical and cultural status.
Amid the impressive cultural emergence, three national sites were registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List – Qal’at Al Bahrain – Ancient Harbor and Capital of Dilmun (2005), Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy (2012) and Dilmun Burial Mounds (2019).
In addition, Bahrain witnessed the establishment of the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage, a UNESCO Center for the second category, the revival of historical areas in the Kingdom, and the construction of the Bahrain National Theater, several museums and cultural centers.
The comprehensive strategy implemented by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities under the supervision of Shaikha Mai has led to Bahrain being widely recognized for its experience in setting up cultural infrastructure.
Manama was selected the 2012 Arab Capital of Culture, which strengthened Bahrain’s position in the leadership of cultural activities. Manama was also selected as the Capital of Arab Tourism in 2013 and the Capital of Asian Tourism in 2014.
Shaikha Mai launched the initiative to celebrate Arab Tourism Day in 2012, which has now become an annual celebration on February 25.
