sustainability Article Elevating Cultural Preservation Projects into Urban Regeneration: A Case Study of Bahrain’s Pearling Trail Haifa Tawfeeq Naseeb, Jongoh Lee and Heejae Choi * Graduate School, Global Culture & Contents, College of Education, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul 02450, Korea; [email protected] (H.T.N.); [email protected] (J.L.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +82-10-9170-9430 Abstract: The island of Muharraq in the Kingdom of Bahrain was previously in a state of socioe- conomic disrepair and neglect, until the nine years-long “Pearling Trail” project revived the area. Historically, Muharraq’s importance inheres in it being the main trade center of the Middle East since the Mesopotamian period, especially as the source of the finest pearls in the world. However, the discovery of oil that led to the rapid urbanization of the region and Japan perfecting the production of cultured pearls had meant that Muharraq dwindled out of cultural significance. Due to the residents’ dissatisfaction and nostalgia for the island’s past glory, along with the government’s new policies towards cultural preservation, the “Pearling Trail” Project commenced in 2012. The Ministry of Culture of Bahrain repaired, renovated and preserved an area of 3.5 km, transforming it into an eco-museum with a thriving business and cultural community. The transformation of the island elevated the city into a trendy local attraction, hosting local and global cultural festivals and events, owing to the “Pearling Trail’s” Urban Regeneration Project’s success. By studying the “Pearling Trail” three success factors are identified: Project expansion beyond UNESCO preservation requirements, focus on sustainability and continuous use, and improved access to culture and cultural opportunities. Identifying these factors could allow for future preservation projects in Bahrain or elsewhere to be Citation: Naseeb, H.T.; Lee, J.; Choi, upgraded for urban regeneration or revitalization. H. Elevating Cultural Preservation Projects into Urban Regeneration: A Keywords: Bahrain; Muharraq; Pearling Trail; urban regeneration; Eco Museum Case Study of Bahrain’s Pearling Trail. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6629. https:// doi.org/10.3390/su13126629 Academic Editor: Chiara Garau 1. Introduction The Kingdom of Bahrain’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Pearling Trail Received: 5 May 2021 located on the island of Muharraq. This site is distinguished from others by the Bahraini Accepted: 7 June 2021 government’s success in elevating it from cultural reservation to an urban regeneration Published: 10 June 2021 project. The most significant accomplishment of Bahrain Pearling Trail regeneration project is how it revitalized Muharraq, combining historic storytelling of the region’s pearl industry Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with cultural preservation while generating direct economic benefits [1]. Bahrain’s first with regard to jurisdictional claims in UNESCO World Heritage Site, as Qal’at al-Bahrain, also known as the Bahrain Fort or the published maps and institutional affil- Ancient Harbor and Capital of Dilmun, was awarded the title in 2005, pales in comparison iations. to the Pearling Trail in terms of socioeconomic impact. At the time, the award of such a title was an outstanding achievement, yet it did little more than add another name to the must-visit list of tourists who happen to stop by Bahrain. Although the fort faces a beach and has a spectacular ocean view, yet efforts to make the area more tourist-friendly have Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. not gone beyond small museum with a modest semi-traditional café. Despite its location Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. close to the central shopping district in Bahrain, it stands isolated. Most of the attraction This article is an open access article basis of the site relies on local endeavors to host small family festivals, inviting food trucks distributed under the terms and to the area, and privately-owned horse-riding activities, all of which are not advertised to conditions of the Creative Commons tourists, maintaining a visitor populace of locals only. Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// Thus, with the Pearling Trail Project the main challenge was to expand the goal creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ from merely obtaining the UNESCO Site title that may generate global fame for a limited 4.0/). Sustainability 2021, 13, 6629. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126629 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2021, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 9 Sustainability 2021, 13, 6629 2 of 9 Thus, with the Pearling Trail Project the main challenge was to expand the goal from merely obtaining the UNESCO Site title that may generate global fame for a limited amountamount of of time time and and instead instead create create a a project project that that achieves achieves cultural cultural preservation preservation as as well well as as socioeconomicsocioeconomic revitalization revitalization that that benefits benefits multiple multiple stakeholders. stakeholders. By By correct correct identification identification ofof renovation, renovation, preservation, preservation, and and development development opportunities opportunities along along with with full full cooperation cooperation betweenbetween various various governmental governmental bodies bodies and and the the local local community community the project the projec has supersededt has super- theseded status the ofstatus a historical of a historical site into site becoming into becoming a key a player key player in the in area’s the area’s cultural cultural rebirth. rebirth. A modelA model for for upgrading upgrading a cultural a cultural preservation preservation project project to achieve to achieve urban urban regeneration regeneration can can be establishedbe established by studying by studying this this project’s project’s progress. progress. 2.2. History: History: CenturiesCenturiesof ofPearl PearlDiving Diving and and Trade Trade LocatedLocated in in the the Arabian Arabian Gulf, Gulf, the the archipelago archipelago of theof the Kingdom Kingdom of Bahrain of Bahrain is famous is famous for beingfor being a historic a historic trade trade point point along along with with its rich its pearlrich pearl fisheries. fisheries. Part ofPart Dilmun of Dilmun during during the Bronzethe Bronze Age, present-timeAge, present- Bahrain’stime Bahrain’s location loca madetion itmade the top it the trading top trading destination. destination It linked. It thelinked Indus the Valley Indus and Valley Mesopotamia and Mesopotamia and was knownand was since known then since for high then quality for high pearls quality [2]. Throughoutpearls [2]. Throughout its history, Bahrainits history, was Bahrain ruled bywas different ruled by empires different and empires referred and to referred by many to differentby many names, different yet names, what remain yet what constant rema isin itsconstant flourishing is its pearlingflourishing industry. pearling Specifically, industry. theSpecifically, island city the of Muharraqisland city was of Muharraq the main pointwas the for tradingmain point and for producing trading pearland producing products, aspearl the thirdproducts, largest as citythe third and the largest island’s city capitaland the until island’s 1932 capital [2]. While until the 1932 Gulf [2 region]. While as the a wholeGulf region was famed as a whole for its was pearls, famed Bahraini for its pearls pearls, were, Bahraini and continue pearls were, to be, and higher continue in quality to be, andhigher approximately in quality and 40% approximately more expensive 40% to more buy [expensive3]. During to the buy golden [3]. During age of Bahrain’sthe golden pearlingage of Bahrain’s industry, pearling this level industry, of quality this attracted level of worldquality renowned attracted world jeweler renowned Jacques Cartier, jeweler whoJacques continuously Cartier, who visited continuously Muharraq visited from 1910 Muharraq to 1923 andfrom was 1910 heavily to 1923 influenced and was byheavily the Arabinfluenced and Eastern by the lifestyle, Arab and allowing Eastern it lifestyle, to inspire allowing his art-deco it to designsinspire (Figurehis art-1deco)[ 4]. designs Thus, as(Figure a trade 1)center, [4]. Thus, the as Muharraq a trade center, marketplace, the Muharraq or ‘souq’ marketplace, in Arabic, or developed ‘souq’ in intoArabic, a hub de- ofvelope internationald into a hub trade of and international business. Cafestrade thatand servedbusiness. traditional Cafes that tea served and snacks traditional nestled tea alongsideand snacks jewelry nestled shops, alongside clothing jewelry stores, shops, and sweetsclothing shops, stores, catering and sweets to the shops, tradesmen catering who to wouldthe tradesmen need a meeting who would spot toneed discuss a meeting trade spot and thento discuss purchase trade souvenirs and then beforepurchase traveling souve- backnirs homebefore [ 5traveling]. back home [5]. FigureFigure 1. 1.1911, 1911, Jacques Jacques Cartier Cartier in in a a meeting meeting with with Bahraini Bahraini pearl pearl merchants. merchants. (Smith, (Smith, 2015). 2015). However,However, three three global global events events in in the the 1930s 1930s initiated initiated the the downfall downfall of of the the Bahraini Bahraini pearl pearl industry:industry: AA depressiondepression followingfollowing thethe firstfirst WorldWorld WarWar that that reduced reduced global global demand demand for for expensiveexpensive jewelry,