Celebrations galore as Bahrain rings in 2023

Meanwhile, Sydney, as usual, yesterday was among the first major cities to ring in 2023, restating its claim as the “New Year’s Eve capital of the world”. Australia’s borders have reopened and the crowds gathered at Sydney’s sparkling harbour to watch 100,000 pyrotechnics illuminate the southern sky numbered more than one million.

Sydney authorities estimated that almost half a billion more people watched the festivities online or on television. In Bahrain, the atmosphere was equally vibrant, with revellers looking to the year ahead with renewed optimism and joy amid breathtakingly beautiful fireworks, music and live performances.

Leaders exchange greetings

On the occasion, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa exchanged congratulatory cables on New Year 2023 with Arab, Islamic and friendly countries. In the message, HM King wished them abundant health and happiness and their countries further progress and prosperity.

HM King also wished all countries and peoples in the world security, peace and prosperity. HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, also exchanged congratulatory cables on the 2023 New Year with world leaders, Crown Princes and Prime Ministers of Arab, Islamic, and friendly countries.

Measures taken to ensure safety during New Year celebrations: MoI

The Ministry of Interior, in a Tweet, said they and various directorates took necessary steps to ensure the safety of citizens, residents and visitors during the New Year Holidays.

Coordinating the security in all four governorates were the Community Service police, the Coast Guard Command, the General Administration of Guards and the National Ambulance.

Officers patrolled festival sites where people thronged in large numbers. Police had also intensified surveillance at main streets and intersections near the event sites and roads where traffic was huge. Public security has also deployed rescue patrols in various regions to support the efforts of the Police directorates and ensure speedy response.

The General Administration of Civil Defence and the General Administration of Ports Security confirmed the readiness of land, air and sea ports to receive visitors during the New Year holidays.

Oscar Slap, meltdowns

For some, 2022 was a year of the Great Resignation, a new Taylor Swift album, an Oscar slap and billionaire meltdowns.

It also saw the deaths of Queen Elizabeth II, Brazilian football icon Pele, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jiang Zemin, and Shinzo Abe. Former pope Benedict XVI died on New Year’s Eve. In November, the global population surpassed the historic milestone of eight billion people.

But 2022 is most likely to be remembered for armed conflict returning to Europe -- a continent that was the crucible of two world wars. There seems to be a dulled appetite for grand celebrations in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Moscow has cancelled its traditional fireworks show after Mayor Sergei Sobyanin asked residents to vote on how to mark the occasion. The new year will kick-off with a new leader in Brazil, where Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva takes the reins on Sunday following his razor-thin win in October polls.

However, China begins 2023 battling a surge in Covid infections after unwinding restrictions to contain the virus. Authorities in Shanghai have said there will be no formal activities on the city’s famed Bund waterfront.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told the country in a televised New Year’s Eve address that, despite the outbreak, “the light of hope is right in front of us”.