After six months of working to build bridges of cultural and civilizational communication with Japan and the world, the Kingdom of Bahrain concluded its participation in “Expo 2025 Osaka,” and closed the last pages of its pavilion, “Meeting of Seas,” which created a unique experience for the Expo audience and presented an impressive picture of the Kingdom of Bahrain, its culture, and its historical and contemporary civilizational achievements. The pavilion was crowned at the end of the Expo with the Gold Award for the Best Architecture category. And natural landscapes for the self-built pavilions with an area of less than 1,500 square metres. Over these months, the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, which is organizing the Kingdom’s participation in the Expo, worked to transform the pavilion into an integrated cultural journey that combined architectural design inspired by traditional ships, exhibitions and sensory experiences that addressed the various senses, passing through the café that merged Bahraini and Japanese flavors, and a special exhibition that anticipated the future. Kingdom economically, and a gift shop presented pieces inspired by Bahrain’s heritage. During the duration of the event, the pavilion also maintained its position on the list of “Top Ten Must-Visit Pavilions,” according to the classification of the global architectural platform ArchDaily, in addition to a number of specialized references such as Wallpaper and Azure Magazine praising the pavilion, as it was described as a model of sustainable architecture and vision. Contemporary cultural. The success of the participation also extended to the international media in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, where it received wide critical and media coverage. The architecture of the pavilion is considered one of the most important features of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s participation in the Expo, as it was designed by the Lebanese architect Lina Al-Ghotmeh and her office Lina Ghotmeh Architecture, as its lines were inspired by traditional Bahraini ships and were restored. Interpretation of its construction techniques, incorporating Japanese carpentry. The pavilion extended over an area of 995 square meters, with a height of 13.7 metres, distributed over four floors overlooking the sea, and was built using wood as the main material, with the adoption of natural cooling systems, making it one of the most sustainable Expo pavilions. As for the pavilion’s exhibitions, they invited visitors to have a sensory experience that interacted with the five senses, as the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities worked to innovate and implement these exhibitions. In cooperation with a number of institutions, artists and creators. The Bahraini company Shepherd Studio was responsible for designing the interior exhibitions, while the artist and researcher Cécile Tullas worked on the exhibition “Meeting of Seas: An Experience Through Smell,” which addressed the sense of smell. As for the Bahraini artist and researcher Hassan Hujairi, he worked on creating a special audio installation inspired by Al-Fajri’s art in the exhibition “Pearl Legacy: An Audio-Sensory Experience.” The visual identity of the Kingdom’s participation in the Expo bore the imprint of the Bahraini company “Quebe Creative Consultations.” These experiences were distributed over the four floors of the pavilion, and included exhibits of models of traditional ships, Dilmun seals, archival photos, tools for handicrafts and traditional swords, and exhibits that reflect the most important elements of modern Bahraini industry, such as aluminum and fiberglass. This is in addition to the “Bahrain – Two Seas” helmet that McLaren driver Oscar Piastri wore during the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, which Shepherd Studio had the opportunity to design and present within the experience. As for the pavilion café, it offered a unique gastronomic experience, which included seasonal menus that mixed local Bahraini flavors with ingredients. Japanese, under the supervision of Bahraini Chef Tala Bashmi, winner of several international awards. The pavilion also included a dedicated exhibition that looked at Bahrain’s economic future, under the supervision of the Economic Development Board, and shed light on the Kingdom’s strategic location and its status as an open global economic center and an attractive environment for investment. The pavilion’s employees and volunteers wore exclusive designs created by Bahraini fashion designer Lulwa Al-Amin, and the fashion collection was distinguished by artistic prints and embroidered decorations inspired by the environment. Coastal, reflecting the pavilion’s theme. The experience also included a gift shop that included exclusive products inspired by heritage, as Dust worked with a number of Bahraini projects that presented craft products in an innovative and contemporary manner, while Qartas presented an exclusive collection of products inspired by the official identity of the pavilion. The pavilion celebrated its National Day on September 18, through a program that extended from September 17 to 20 under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince. The Prime Minister, may God protect him, conveyed to the World Expo audience a message in the language of music and diverse cultural experiences. The program witnessed the organization of various activities in the pavilion and around the Expo, including a performance by the Bahrain Police Band under the grand ring at the Expo, and the main musical show “Bahrain’s Music Through the Ages,” which included a combination of acts that combined traditional Bahraini arts and modern music with the participation of the Qalali Folklore Band and emerging Bahraini artists, such as Nour Al Qasim, Abdul Rahman Awad, Abdullah Haji, and Muhammad Asiri, under the supervision of Artistic by Bahraini maestro Ziad Ziman. The program also included a musical performance entitled “After Twenty Years” presented by the artist Hassan Hujairi with the participation of musician Kaul Samarkandi, and musical performances by Al-Fajri and the art of sound, as well as performances of popular melodies, Bahraini jazz and Bahraini songs. The “Meeting of Seas” pavilion, which comes in partnership with the Economic Development Board, received silver support from the Aluminum Bahrain Company (Alba) and the Aluminum Bahrain Fund (Alba). Labor (Tamkeen), and Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat) – the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain. GFH Financial Group (GFH) also supported Bahrain’s participation in the Expo, in addition to the support provided by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority to hold the events. A number of institutions participated in enriching the content of the pavilion by lending parts and contributing, namely: Aluminum Bahrain (Alba), Bapco Energies, BFG International, Debaj, and the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Company (ASRY). Racing Force Group, Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (Danat), and Midal Cables.
