Manama, Bahrain, October 22, 2025: A giant oyster, a pearl of wisdom, an ocean of dreams, and 100 Ardah dancers were a few of the colourful elements that combined seamlessly to create a memorable welcome party as the 3rd Asian Youth Games Bahrain 2025 officially opened on Wednesday, October 22.
A four-tiered 60 metres long Led screen provided the perfect backdrop for an Opening Ceremony at Exhibition World Bahrain, one the hosts can be proud of, especially considering the limited time frame to come up with the entire production, indeed the organisation of the Games.
This was the opening line by Acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Timothy Fok, who in his address began by saying: “Salam Aleikum Bahrain. I begin my address with a huge THANK YOU to Bahrain for, in our time of need, it was you who put your hands up and told the Asian Olympic Family ‘We are ready and willing to host the 3rd Asian Youth Games’.”
Fok, praising the Bahrain organisers, said: “You have done a marvellous job in putting on such a spectacular event in just eight months.”
The packed audience, who had cheered when Fok greeted them in Arabic, once again applauded him for acknowledging the hard work done by the Bahrain Asian Youth Games Organising Committee in welcoming 45 Asian National Olympic Committees and more than 4,000 athletes for this showpiece which will run for the next nine days, ending on October 31.
The show got underway with a little Bahraini girl, Dana, reaching for the stars and listening to her grandfather’s words of wisdom in her bid to follow her dreams.
The Kingdom’s deep-rooted traditions, its close relations with the sea and desert, were all on digital display on the giant screen, while dancers twirled to haunting Arabic music.
The traditional team parade began with Afghanistan leading the way and ending with the host team who got the biggest cheer of the night. And throughout the march past, men with swords and muskets in their hands, swayed to the folkloric dance.
The President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, HE Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, welcomed all the athletes and officials noting that these Games were “a true platform for discovering future Olympic champions”.
The Acting OCA President Fok agreed: “These Games are the cradle where legends are born. Bahrain 2025 will be remembered in the future as the place where it all began.”
Fok then invited HH Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King of Bahrain and Chairman of Supreme Council of Youth and Sports, to officially declare the Games open.
