Latest news with #MelissaNazareth
Gulf Weekly
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Making an impact
melissa@ Bahrain is set to stage the first edition of the International Influencers Awards tonight, May 29, where digital innovators and content creators from across the Gulf will be honoured in a dazzling ceremony, writes Melissa Nazareth. The gala event is being presented by TIAH, a globally recognised soft-skills training institute in Seef District, and will witness 28 finalists across 14 categories compete for titles spanning beauty, wellness, education, comedy, arts and more. Two nominees have been shortlisted for each of the segments in the awards, which are audited by an independent audit firm. The evening will also feature other entertainment, food, and drink, offering guests a lovely time. In addition to recognising influencers and the work they do, the awards also seek to promote Bahrain as a major destination for tourism and business. 'We're thrilled to be staging an event of this type and scale for the first time in Bahrain and absolutely see this becoming an annual event,' TIAH founder Priyanka Jassal told GulfWeekly. 'We want to showcase Bahrain's ongoing efforts in digital transformation and our commitment to aligning with the national development goals. 'This year, we're also placing a special focus on humanitarian impact. As part of the evening, we will be honouring Bahraini digital voices who are making a real difference in society and using their platforms to inspire positive change. 'We've really focused on being inclusive – our finalists, shortlisted from more than 200 applications, feature creative talents from 15 different nationalities, including Bahraini, Egyptian, Argentine, Italian, Swedish, Kazakhstani, Pakistani, Indian, American, German, and more,' the 37-year-old added. The Indian expatriate has extensive hospitality experience specialising in the airline industry. After moving to Bahrain with her husband six years ago, she was keen to pursue her passion, which led her to open her own institute. 'I started my career as a cabin crew and since then have nurtured the dream of establishing my own training institute in hospitality. TIAH was born of this passion,' the award-winning entrepreneur, who has travelled to more than 60 countries, noted. According to Priyanka, the global exposure she received deeply influenced her perspective and inspired her to help others grow personally and professionally. 'I realised that personality development isn't just about image—it's about self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to connect with others meaningfully,' added the recipient of Asia's Top 100 Influential Women Awards' Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2021. Priyanka hopes to continue engaging with inspiring people in Bahrain and beyond. She also has plans to help individuals from underprivileged groups develop their confidence and expand TIAH's existing programmes to include skills like emotional intelligence and digital communication. The International Influencers Awards will be hosted at the Ramee Grand Hotel in Seef. Doors open at 7pm and tickets are available on Platinumlist.
Gulf Weekly
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
All good things
Bahraini author Nada Fardan's latest children's book has hit the shelves this month, highlighting the idea that something good can only be built on strong, noble foundations, writes Melissa Nazareth. The 25-page Arabic story Manba'a Al-Jood ('source of bounty') was unveiled at the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, staged at Sharjah Institute for Heritage, from April 23 to May 4. The cultural event featured workshops, interactive shows, and renowned authors, among other activities, inspiring children and developing their love for reading. 'Manba'a Al-Jood (available on tells the story of a young farmer who rests beneath the shade of a large tree after a long, tiring day, and as he begins to admire the leaves for the comfort they provide, his father – an old and wise man – initiates a conversation to teach him an important lesson,' the 39-year-old told GulfWeekly. 'This tree would never have grown so strong and beautiful if it hadn't come from a good seed. Their philosophical exchange reflects the idea that all good things must have strong, virtuous origins,' she added. Coinciding with the book release, the Sanad resident won the Jury Prize for her 2023 release Shampoo Al-shoor Al-ajeeb ('the amazing shampoo of feelings') at the seventh edition of the Sharjah Gulf Women Creativity Awards. Other titles by the architect-turned-full-time-author include Faris wa drou'oh Al-asher ('Faris and his 10 Armours'), Faris fi zaman Al-goos ('Faris in the Pearling Age'), Ebtisamet Shamoosa ('Sunny Smile'), Hamama Nodi ('Nodi the dove') and, recently, her first English story One Trunk Away. 'I keep my imagination alive – vivid and attuned to what children need in order to grow,' she explained, describing her creative process and how she thinks of ideas for her books. 'Writing for children is a beautiful journey. Often, I feel like a cloud laden with rain, burdened by thoughts and words that must pour forth as stories before I can find peace once more.'
Gulf Weekly
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Reaching for the stars!
THE World Health Organisation estimates the worldwide prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in children at 1pc, up from 0.62pc in 2012. As we culminate Autism Awareness Month, Melissa Nazareth speaks to some of Bahrain's young heroes who have braved the odds to pursue their dreams amidst the struggles connected with their autistic condition. What started as a hobby has, overtime, evolved into a fulfilling journey for the 33-year-old, giving him the tools to manage his autistic condition. 'Living with autism has its challenges—sensory overload, social situations and sudden changes can be tough but photography has helped me manage those struggles by providing focus, structure and a way to communicate,' he said. The Bahraini shutterbug sets out at least thrice a week to go around capturing the world around him, then reviewing, and editing his photos. 'If I had to choose a muse, it would be the sky especially during sunset. There's something magical about the colours, the stillness and the emotion that comes through in those moments,' he noted. 'I'd love to do my first solo exhibition and maybe even publish a photo book. Most of all, I want to inspire other young people on the spectrum to explore their creative side.' Hussain Haji THE Bahraini creative talent's journey began when he was just three years old. 'I had communication difficulties and drawing was a way to express myself,' the 24-year-old told GulfWeekly. 'I'm inspired by both the natural world and human emotion. My style is impressionistic with abstract touches, often in vibrant colours. I work mainly with painting mediums but have recently started exploring comics and animation,' the artist, who has been attending Comic Con for the last six years and will return to Bahrain International Circuit for the much-awaited event next month, revealed. The Bahrain Polytechnic visual design student, who graduated specialising in web media last year and has exhibited his works at many local showcases, hopes to develop his comic and animation portfolio and publish his own graphic novel. Yousif Hayat The 31-year-old has lived with labels and judgement for most of his life. At school, he was 'naughty' and 'disobedient', but this didn't stop the creative talent, who was diagnosed with severe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at the age of six and autism in 2010. His parents never gave up on him and his father, a cameraman, who noticed his interest in cameras, enrolled him in a photography course. 'Yousif has been a volunteer photographer with Bahrain Mobility International Centre for the last seven years,' mum Shahida said, adding that he has won several awards for his work. The creative talent from Riffa is also a Kung Fu junior green belt holder, displaying interest and skill in diverse fields from social media to football. He has completed a series of educational courses spanning English language and computers. Ahsan Zulfiqar AHSAN has explored different areas, including music, pottery and sport but, overtime, realised that art and computers are his forte. 'My mother and teachers noticed that I had a talent for copying artwork accurately. So they encouraged me to develop it further and consider it as a career,' the 27-year-old, who lives with his parents in Aali, said. 'I paint landscapes, portraits, and even calligraphy. I take classes to improve my art techniques and have also completed some computer courses that helped me get opportunities to work in human resources at various organisations,' the Pakistani national added. The artist, who is part of Shahzaib's Club House, a local community of differently abled people, has sold paintings and wants to learn baking as part of his goals for this year. He records his journey @ahsanzulfiqar2016 on Instagram.
Gulf Weekly
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Of love and death
A GROUP of Bahrain-based creatives is set to bring alive a tragic love story on screen, following the release of the single Thirike ('return') from the short film, Dice Death, which is set to release this year, writes Melissa Nazareth. The track's video on YouTube has hit more than 1,000 views since it dropped on Sunday. Directed by Ranju Ransh, 35, the Malayalam language movie was shot across five days at various locations in the kingdom, including Buri, Um Al Hassam and Andalus Garden in Manama. 'Dice Death is the story of a young, vibrant person and his tragic love,' a representative of the production told GulfWeekly. 'Thirike is the lyrical video of the song. We can't wait for everyone to watch it and we look forward to the release of the film,' she added. Insurance professional Sreejith Sreekumar has penned the lyrics for the track, composed and sung by corporate executive Unni Krishnan, mixed by Kerala-based programmer Biju Rajan and recorded at Gouri Digital Bahrain studio. Accountant Hariz Ekachu, known for his many albums and short films, is the editor and photography director. The song is available on Ransh Creations on YouTube.
Gulf Weekly
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Showtime!
BRINGING top talent in Bahrain under one roof in a dazzling four-day event, the inaugural edition of St Chris Performing Arts Festival is set to be staged from February 23 to 26, culminating in a gala concert for winners, writes Melissa Nazareth. The event is an 'expansion' of the St Christopher's Music Festival, launched in 1998, and will now include dance and drama. More than 500 students across 18 schools, aged four to 18, will showcase their talents at the school's Saar and Isa Town campuses. 'This year's Performing Arts Festival marks a significant milestone, expanding upon the legacy of the much-loved Music Festival,' St Christopher's School performing arts director Dennis Haggerty told GulfWeekly. 'This expansion stems from the recent integration of music, drama and dance into a unified Performing Arts faculty at St Christopher's. 'This restructuring underscores the school's dedication to performing arts education and prepares students for the world-class facilities of our forthcoming new state-of-the-art secondary school,' he added. The school will continue to offer classes in classical, rock and pop music, and has introduced solo and group acting for drama, as well as solos, duos, and group classes for dance. A panel of judges flying into Bahrain from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Sri Lanka will give feedback and guidance to the competitors. 'We've developed new judging criteria, ensuring fair and equitable assessment across all disciplines. We've also focused heavily on promoting the festival to students and securing sufficient resources, including venues, equipment, personnel and an impressive 50 trophies up for grabs. Each competitor receives a participation certificate and all placements receive medals. We are grateful to our sponsors for their generous support,' he added. The headline sponsors of the event are Volvo, a division of Motorcity, and Ardaas Holdings. The idea behind the festival is to draw together young performing arts students of all ages and levels from Bahrain to participate in a friendly, competitive event, according to Dennis, who highlighted the impressive work that the talents have exhibited in the days leading to the event. 'We've been impressed by both the creative interpretations of classic pieces – expect fresh takes on familiar works – and the exciting original material and modern dance styles being showcased. 'Attendees can anticipate a diverse range of talent and styles, from the traditional to the contemporary, promising a vibrant and engaging festival experience,' he added.
