February 19, 2019
Derasat Launches New Book “Two Prosperous Decades”
Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat), extended sincere congratulations and appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain, may Allah preserve him, for the honor of presenting to His Majesty a book titled “Two Prosperous Decades”, at a special ceremony held in Al-Sakhir Palace on the occasion of the eighteenth anniversary of the public referendum on the National Action Charter.
Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that the book will be launched in a special event at the premises of Derasat Center in Awali.
He added that the book reviews, in a scientific and objective manner, the wise vision and great efforts of His Majesty the King to achieve a comprehensive renaissance at all levels, and highlights the fruitful outcomes of these efforts as reflected in qualitative transformations in various aspects of life in the Kingdom Bahrain. As a result of these achievements, Bahrain has become a model in development, achievements, democracy and freedoms.
He added that the book highlights the achievements of His Majesty the King over the past two decades, which led to the establishment of the rule of law in a modern constitutional monarchy.
Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa stressed that the reform project under the leadership of His Majesty the King has been and continues to be a significant milestone in the history of the modern Kingdom of Bahrain, considering the high values and principles it encompasses and that enabled Bahrain join the ranks of the developed countries. Bahrain has, under the reform project, achieved remarkable successes in the various political, economic, social and other spheres. Today, Bahrain in the glorious era of His Majesty is going through a prosperous phase of its history, based on strong constitutional and legal foundations that enabled it to take big leaps in its march to growth and development.
Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that the purpose of the initiative of the “Derasat” Center to issue this book that contains information, facts and records is to document an important period in the history of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The book contains a number of chapters that review the most important moments in the history of Bahrain from the beginning of the rule of the Al Khalifas to the reign of His Majesty the King. The book highlights the successes led and achieved by His Majesty the King in the political, diplomatic, security and military spheres, as well as caring for and the empowerment of Bahraini women who were able to assume high positions in government and the private sector. The book contains numbers and statistics that show the extent and significance of achievements in the economic, health, education, cultural, tourism and other sectors. In the meantime. Bahrain continues to enhance its development in the area of public freedoms and freedom of the press and His Majesty continues to encourage and promote arts, literature, science, humanities and other fields.
Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that the Kingdom of Bahrain has, during two decades of the glorious era of His Majesty the King, witnessed new beginnings based on wise visions in all fields. He prayed to Allah to preserve His Majesty as leader of the country to continue the blessed march of the Kingdom of Bahrain and its noble people to prosperity under His Majesty’s wise leadership.
The book comprises ten chapters. The first chapter, titled “Legitimacy: History, Present and Future”, is a historical review of the rule of the Al Khalifa family since the establishment of the State to this day.
The second chapter, titled “First Light, Vision of a King”, reviews His Majesty’s initiative to establish the Bahrain Defense Force in 1968 and grow it over the years, as well as supporting the development of other branches of the armed forces such as the National Guard and the Ministry of the Interior. The book highlights the role that these institutions play in protecting the achievements and development of the Kingdom, as well as their contribution to GCC efforts in protecting Arab national security.
The third chapter, titled “The Reform Project and the Pursuit of Comprehensive Development”, reviews the early beginnings of the reign of His Majesty the King and his achievements right from the first moment of his accession to the throne in 1999. The general amnesty, National Action Charter and the holding of parliamentary and municipal elections were just a few of these achievements.
The fourth chapter, titled “Justice and Legal Reforms”, highlights the keenness of His Majesty the King to establish a solid foundation for the rule of law and achieving justice as His Majesty strongly believes that law and justice is the way to achieving security and prosperity. This chapter reviews the Royal Decrees issued by His Majesty to institutionalize comprehensive justice and legal reforms.
The fifth chapter, titled “Women: From Winning the Rights to Fairness in Partnership”, includes a comprehensive review of the achievements made by women in Bahrain in various fields.
The sixth chapter, titled “Diplomacy, the Genius of Balance,” focuses on His Majesty’s decision to diversity the Kingdom’s diplomatic relations and expand the sphere of Bahrain’s foreign policy, thus enhancing the role of diplomacy in supporting Bahrain’s development efforts.
The seventh chapter, titled “The Will of a King and the Management of Crisis” deals with the historical dimension and leadership of His Majesty the King and how this was reflected on the protection of the homeland and shielded the Kingdom from adverse consequences for the crises that it experienced and affected the whole of the Arab world.
The eighth chapter, titled “The Economy: Facts and Hopes”, addresses economic issues and development from oil to education, development to the “Economic Vision 2030”. The chapter reviews the efforts of His Majesty to build a foundation for a strong economic structure that possesses solid fundamentals to ensure that it has the ability to face all the challenges and achieve sustainable growth.
The ninth chapter, titled “The Legitimacy of Achievement” focused in the success of the glorious era of His Majesty in establishing tens of national, legal, health, education, housing, administrative, social, charities, civic, cultural and religious institutions, in line with the requirements of the modern era for sustainable economic development.
The tenth chapter, titled “Development: Leadership and Purpose”, focused on the policies implemented by the Kingdom of Bahrain during the period from 1999 to 2019, which had positive effects on many indicators related to the standard of living and quality of life. It also discussed the impact of these policies on the UN indicators and indices, including the human development index and other indices related to the Millennium Development Goals, and Sustainable Development Goals. Thanks to these policies, the Kingdom of Bahrain led by His Majesty the King has become a model state and can be ranked amongst the developed countries.
The book “Two Prosperous Decades” will be available to the public at “Derasat” Center. For more information on how to purchase the book, please contact the library at “Derasat” Center on e-mail: library@derasat.org.bh