Manama, Oct. 21 (BNA): Information and Parliament Affairs Minister Isa bin Abdulrahman Al-Hammadi underlined Bahrain’s support to the Gulf Radio and Television Festival to be held in Manama in March 2016 in its 14th edition.
He praised the ongoing cooperation between the Information Affairs Authority and the Gulf Radio and Television Corporation (GRTC) in organising the biennial festival and providing a platform for artists to meet in Bahrain and avail of the climate of media and cultural openness.

Al-Hammadi was speaking as he patronised the third meeting of the festival’s permanent committee. He stressed the Information Affairs Ministry’s support to the event, which will be organised from March 14 to 17, 2016, and keenness to provide all technical, administrative and humanitarian resources for its success. He said such functions play a key role in fostering cooperation between the GCC public and private media establishments and serving the joint 2010-2020 media strategy.

The festival’s permanent committee convened today under the chairmanship of Acting Director General of Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) Bassam Al-Dhawadi and in the presence of GRTC Director General Dr. Abdullah bin Saeed Abu Ras, the festival’s Secretary General, as well as representatives of related authorities.

The committee was updated on preparations for the opening and concluding ceremonies of the festival, presidency of the juries, formation of the sub-committees, criteria of the TV film competition and the slogan of the 14th edition of the festival.
Dr. Abu Ras lauded Bahrain’s success in hosting the festival for more than twenty years, pointing out the importance of the event as a pioneering regional function to honour winners of competitions in radio, TV and new media production. He also underscored development of the festival in terms of content and participation, pointing out a record number of around 315 works in the previous edition. He added that electronic arbitration will continue in the next edition of the festival and gold and silver prizes will be conferred for the best works.
The BRTC Acting Director General commended cooperation with GRTC in organising the festival, stressing that the slogan of its 14th edition on the GCC union and identity is a vivid proof of the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation characterising the festival since its inception in 1980.

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BNA 1740 GMT 2015/10/21