Gibraltar is officially a UK city after 180 years late
August 29, 2022, 4:43 pm

Gibraltar is officially a UK city after 180 years late

Gibraltar is a city and British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula - Photo. Pixabay

Gibraltar can officially call itself a UK city, 180 years after it was first granted the status by Queen Victoria, the BBC reported.

Gibraltar is a city and British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.

First settled by the Moors in the Middle Ages and later ruled by Spain, the outpost was ceded to the British in 1713.

The British overseas territory had bid to become a city earlier this year as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

But when researchers looked through the National Archives, they found it had already been recognised as one in 1842.

The Rock has now had its status reaffirmed - Boris Johnson described it as a "huge accolade" celebrating its "rich history and dynamism".

A Jubilee competition saw 39 places apply to become cities and eight of them, including Doncaster, Bangor, and Dunfermline, ultimately granted the status.

Gibraltar can officially call itself a UK city, 180 years after it was first granted the status by Queen Victoria - Photo. Pixabay

City status is often associated with having a cathedral, university, or large population, but there are no set rules for it being granted - it's awarded by the monarch on advice of ministers.

It brings little in the way of material benefits, although it can often provide a boost to communities by putting them on the map and is normally a source of pride for residents.

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The government said Gibraltar had been omitted from official lists after being originally given the title by Queen Victoria, but it is not clear how this happened.

An updated record of the 81 places named as cities has now been published.

Gibraltar is one of only five outside the UK to be recognised. Hamilton in Bermuda, Jamestown in Saint Helena, and Douglas on the Isle of Man were already on the list, while Stanley in the Falklands Islands was among those named for the Jubilee this year.

Southend in Essex was also granted city status earlier this year following the murder of David Amess MP, who had represented the Southend West constituency since 1997 and had long campaigned on the issue.

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Cabinet Office Minister Kit Malthouse said: "The cities in this list are incredibly rich with history and culture, and the local people of those areas are rightly very proud to see their city's significance put to paper.

"I'm hopeful people based in these places, particularly the new cities, can reap the benefits of their home's increased global standing and that it will attract more inward investment for local businesses."

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”