Hidd:The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), in coordination with the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, is hosting a series of cultural events to celebrate World Post Day, which is observed annually on October 9.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the events will commence on Thursday, October 8, at the Post Museum and will be held every Saturday until October 24. Sessions are scheduled for both mornings and evenings at the Post Museum and the Bahrain National Museum.
The World Post Day program is designed to emphasize the significance of postal services in daily life. It offers guided tours of the Post Museum in both Arabic and English, as well as art and interactive workshops focused on postcard design and drawing. Participants will have the chance to engage in letter writing by hand and explore the art of correspondence under the guidance of Zainab Al Aali and Fatima Hassan. Additionally, a lecture is planned by Younis Hashem Al Kooheji, President of the Bahrain Philatelic Society.
A special visit to the Bahrain Post Sorting Centre in Hidd, the Kingdom's primary postal operations hub, is also included in the program. The centre is designed with sustainable green building standards that incorporate energy and water conservation measures. It offers services such as receiving and sorting mail and parcels, along with handling customs procedures.
These events aim to educate participants about the history of postal services, their communication role, and their cultural and heritage significance. They also seek to revive the tradition of letter writing, with postal clubs playing a crucial role in preserving this practice by encouraging traditional postbox use and the collection of distinctive postage stamps.
The history of postal services in Bahrain dates back to the era of His Highness Shaikh Isa Al Kabeer, who established the first post office in Manama in 1884, facilitating organized official and commercial correspondence. He also prioritized the development of postal services and strengthened Bahrain's regional and international postal connections.
World Post Day commemorates the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland. Countries worldwide observe the day with educational programs and activities that highlight the roles and contributions of postal services in connecting individuals and communities.