Othman Adel Al -Abbasi
From time to time, I sit on that the stone chair overlooking the hypothesis of the Muharraq, I contemplate the calm sea and the boats that move with the first sunlight, recalling the stories of Nakhudhah and their trips. At that moment, I was quickly browsing the news of US President Trump’s recent visit to the Gulf region, and the major technology deals that accompanied it, and she asked: How did the technical scene change in our region so quickly? How were we ten years ago, and where are we today?
Here, the memory returned to my experience in 2013, when I stood as a participant in an international technical conference in Boston, USA. At that time, I stood up with enthusiasm behind a small platform, representing an emerging company specialized in innovative technology solutions that started my professional journey, and at the same time I was the head of the Association of Youth and Technology that aims to introduce the world to the innovative capabilities of Bahraini youth. I remember well that table that filled it with identification brochures and simple innovative gifts, such as flash memory, which carried the company logo, and I was keen to put a plate of authentic Bahraini desserts to attract visitors. The truth is said, the candy was the heroine of that day; The visitors attracted amazingly, just as the herat were attracted to the pearls looking for pearls in our beautiful past.
This participation was generously supported by “Tamkeen”, which did not only support me financially at most of the costs, but also gave me a rare opportunity to sail towards the world and promote the country of Bahrain. Perhaps the shape of support today has changed a little, but it is still a basic pillar to motivate the Bahraini private sector to sail in the world of international competition.
Among the situations that surprised me at that conference is the question of one of the visitors when he stopped in front of my platform, wondering with great amazement: “Where is Bahrain located exactly?” And after I explained to him our small site on the world map, I am urgent with a more strange question: “Is Bahrain not an oil country? Why do you care about technology? ” At that moment, I realized that we have provided a successful marketing to our country indirectly, so our presence in the conference became an opportunity to introduce the world that we have greater ambition than just oil.
Today, after years of that experience, feelings of pride and pride fill me, and I see Bahrain taking wide and confident steps towards new “Herat” in the areas of cloud computing, digital transformation and artificial intelligence. And not only that, but we have become part of a joint Gulf scene that resembles a collective “shower” towards the promising technical future; Saudi Arabia is experiencing the experience of building advanced smart cities that depend on artificial intelligence, while the UAE is advancing as a global incubator for technological innovation, and Qatar enhances its technical structure through major agreements that attract attention, and Kuwait and Oman are invested strongly in developing their digital system. This is how the Gulf appears today, united and confidently, on a common journey towards a promising technical future.
My message to our youth is clear, the path towards success and innovation may not be easy, and perhaps resembles a “ghus” journey in the face of the depths of the sea, but the great opportunities deserve patience and seriously studied attempt. We live in a golden technological moment, and ambition only needs will, cooperation and self -confidence.
On that day on the “Muharraq’s Fodger”, with the voice of the extended sea and the echoes of the ancient past, I felt that time is going quickly, and that the future was not waiting for anyone. It is time to announce to the world that we are here, ready to sail with confidence towards the future, are able to creativity and competition.* Technical expert
