HM King receives US citizens at special ceremony

Manama : Bahrain and the US have paid tribute to more than 100 years of their long-standing “special friendship” as His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa received a delegation of 175 Americans at Al-Sakhir Palace on Tuesday.

“It is a great pleasure to meet you all today. I have always had great affection and admiration for the USA: the land of the free and the home of the brave. As President Truman once said, “America was built on courage and on imagination.” It is a nation founded by pioneers – and we are delighted you have continued that tradition by coming to live in Bahrain,” His Majesty the King said.  

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, US Ambassador Justin Hicks Siberell and members of the American expatriate community in Bahrain attended the function. 

“Thank you for bringing your talents to our country. We are deeply grateful for the part you are playing in the prosperity of Bahrain, and we welcome you here most warmly. Today we celebrate the deep and special bond between our nations. The evidence of that friendship is all around us: from the hundreds of American businesses operating in Bahrain, to the mighty Fifth Fleet stationed in our waters. And there can be no greater symbol of our friendship than the American Mission Hospital,” HM the King said.

“Over a century ago an intrepid young American named Samuel Zwemer travelled from New Jersey to Arabia with a noble mission in his heart. The medical dispensary he opened in Manama became a hospital that has saved countless lives,” HM the King said.

“This hospital is a testament to American generosity of spirit – and a reminder of what we have in common. Here in Bahrain we have a hospital founded by a Christian mission, alongside mosques and churches, synagogues and temples. In the USA people of all faiths come to live the American Dream. We may be different nations, but we are united by this proud tradition of tolerance,” HM the King said.

“Together we share the dream of a world where we can all live alongside each other in peace and prosperity. I want to thank you once again for once helping to make this dream a reality – and for your friendship and commitment to Bahrain,” HM the King said.

In his speech, US Ambassador Justin Hicks Siberell said they were “all aware of the symbolism this audience assumes in representing the long history of friendship and partnership between the United States and Bahrain.

In Bahrain we have found a new community, a new home. Americans in Bahrain strive to play a positive role here and deeply appreciate the gracious hospitality, openness and kindness of the Bahraini people,” he said.

The friendship began with the arrival of a group of “remarkable and selfless” individuals who founded the American Mission, and today around 17,000 Americans live in Bahrain and the diversity of their vocations and activities mirrors the depth and complexity of the broader relationship between the two countries, Siberell, who took up his post in Bahrain in November, said.

“Today, the US Naval Forces Central Command and the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet are based in Bahrain, and they stand at the very centre of our strong security partnership,” he said.

One of the strongest connections Bahrain and the US share is through business and trade and more than 200 US companies are based in Bahrain, with two-way trade in goods and services exceeding $3 billion, Siberell said.