Manama: His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa received members of the family of the late poet and writer Ali Abdulla Khalifa, who expressed their deep appreciation for the condolences and sympathy extended by HM the King.
According to Bahrain News Agency, HM the King commended the late Ali Abdulla Khalifa's distinguished contributions and service to the Kingdom through the positions and responsibilities he had assumed. His Majesty praised his efforts in enriching Bahrain's cultural, literary, and poetry scene, preserving the Kingdom's cultural identity and national heritage, and his commitment to documenting folk heritage and traditional arts.
His Majesty highlighted the late poet's role in establishing numerous cultural and artistic institutions at both national and international levels, and his status within Arab literary and intellectual circles. HM the King stated that Bahrain has lost one of its most prominent pioneers of culture, literature, poetry, and arts.
HM the King directed that one of Bahrain's roads be named after Ali Abdulla Khalifa, in a location near cultural landmarks. He also instructed the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities to prepare and publish a comprehensive book documenting Khalifa's literary biography and poetic works, in recognition of his service to the Kingdom and its society, and his cultural, intellectual, and literary legacy in Bahrain and across the Arab world.
His Majesty added that Bahrain takes pride in its distinguished national figures across generations, whose pioneering contributions have left a lasting mark on the Kingdom's history and development across various domains.
Members of the late Ali Abdulla Khalifa's family expressed their gratitude and appreciation to HM the King for the royal directive to name a road after their late relative, noting that it reflects His Majesty's commitment to honoring pioneers of culture, the arts, and poetry in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Bahrain's cultural and literary movement.