His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa patronised at Sakhir Palace today the celebration of the Commemoration Day, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister.

HM the King was welcomed upon arrival by Commander-in-Chief of Bahrain Defence Force Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, National Guard Chief Lieutenant-General Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Interior Minister Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa.

In an address to mark the occasion, HM the King paid homage to the loyal and brave Bahrainis who sacrificed their lives and fell in the line of duty, in defence of their homeland and nation.

"On this glorious day, we celebrate together the third anniversary of the Commemoration Day, a national and solemn occasion that commemorates and pays tribute to our brave and loyal Bahrainis who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of their homeland on the fields of honour and heroism while performing their honourable and noble duty since the establishment of the state in the era of the first founder up today,” HM the King said.

Those heroes, HM the King added, “have embodied the loftiest values of bravery and sacrifice and have been a source of pride to all Bahrainis and a shining beacon of light for future generations in patriotism.

“The date of December 17 will remain an auspicious occasion in our looking-forward progress filled with pride about the sons of Bahrain who have fallen heroically at home and abroad to protect and promote peace and justice and provide relief and humanitarian guided by the principles of our religion and our values. They have, with their blood, inked the highest standards of nobility and sacrifice, inspired by their fathers and grandfathers on whose exploits we have built our triumphant civilisational march and from whom we have inherited the values of nobility and sacrifice.

“Every single one of our brave fallen servicemen is a source of pride to us and to their families, relatives and brothers-in-arms. They have sacrificed their lives in order to keep the banner of Bahrain soaring high among the nations and drafted a glorious history of heroism that have immortalized their names and the names of their families, making them the source of pride to the nation and to their families.

“Every fallen Bahraini is the son of all Bahraini families in our united and mutually supportive nation. The families and relatives of the fallen servicemen are no less heroic than their children as they have given the finest examples of steadfastness and high patriotism. We laud the honorable patriotic stances of the dear citizens which reflects their unity and solidarity in all circumstances.

“We ask God Almighty to have mercy on the brave fallen heroes of Bahrain and sisterly countries and rest their souls in vast paradise and to reward their families and their loved ones and protect our dear homeland and grant it further strength, security and prosperity."

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, then, headed to the National Charter Monument where he met senior officers marking the 3rd Commemoration Day which is observed on December 17.

HRH the Crown Prince stressed the honour accorded by HM the King to the fallen servicemen and their families on the Commemoration Day which coincides with Bahrain national days as a token to commemorate their dedicated patriotic work and sacrifice.

The senior officers congratulated the wise leadership and the people of Bahrain on the national days on December 16 and 17 marking the anniversary of the establishment of the modern state of Bahrain as an Arab and Muslim country in 1783 by its founder Ahmed Al-Fateh, the 46th Anniversary of its accession to the UN as a full member and the 18th Anniversary of HM the King’s Accession to the Throne.