Sheikh Khalid bin Hamoud Al Khalifa, Governor of Bahrain’s Capital Governorate, attended the closing ceremony of the iSHAPE program, held as part of Manama’s 2026 designation as Arab Capital of Young Entrepreneurs.
The program was organised by Al Budaiya Center, Bahrain’s representative in the Global Shapers community, the World Economic Forum’s youth initiative. The closing event took place at the HQ coworking space in Seef Mall.
The three-week program brought participants together to identify real-world challenges, develop practical solutions and test them with target beneficiaries. Participants presented their projects to a judging panel and entrepreneurship stakeholders, using feedback from field testing to refine their ideas.
Al Khalifa highlighted the importance of creating supportive environments that help young people build innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship skills. He also said that investing in youth capabilities and encouraging solutions to community challenges are key to developing projects with lasting impact.
The governor praised the range of ideas presented and their focus on community needs. He later recognised the winning teams and presented certificates to all participants.
Mohammed Hilal, head of Al Budaiya Center, said the governorate’s support would encourage participants to continue developing their ideas into ventures that serve the community.
Source: Al Ayam
