Kuwait highlights global role through culture, humanitarian work, and technology
Kuwait continues to strengthen its global presence through cultural, humanitarian, and developmental initiatives, leveraging diplomacy, technology, and youth empowerment to foster international cooperation, sustainable development, and a knowledge-based economy.
Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya affirmed on Monday that Kuwait has solidified its international standing by utilizing soft power and expanding its cultural, humanitarian, and developmental presence worldwide. He emphasized that human and cultural engagement remains a core pillar of the country’s foreign policy.
The remarks were delivered during the “Beyond Borders” event, organized by the Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah Kuwait Diplomatic Institute in collaboration with the National Mobile Telecommunications Company, Ooredoo. The event highlighted Kuwait’s role in fostering international cooperation and opening avenues for investment, economic, technical, and cultural partnerships between nations, reports Al-Jarida daily.
Al-Yahya noted Kuwait’s cultural and media contributions, citing initiatives like Al-Arabi Magazine and the World of Thought series. He added that hosting the event at the historically significant Eastern School, which shaped Kuwait’s renaissance and trained its diplomatic cadres, underscores the national importance of educational institutions in promoting cultural openness.
Over the past decade, Kuwait has sent approximately 145,000 students to 16 countries, supported by more than 600 scholarships in 2024 alone, further strengthening international ties.
The minister also highlighted Kuwait’s contributions through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and the Kuwait Investment Authority in promoting global stability and development, alongside the country’s humanitarian institutions.
He stressed that these efforts exemplify Kuwait’s story as a beacon of knowledge and peace, reinforcing its commitment to a stable, humane future.
Representatives from the Ministry of Information and Culture, Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi and Dr. Nasser Al-Muhaysin, emphasized the strategic role of technology in enhancing communication between cultures. Dr. Al-Muhaysin noted platforms like “51” and “Visit Kuwait” as tools for projecting Kuwaiti media and tourism visions globally while providing young talents opportunities to compete on the international stage.
Youth empowerment, he explained, is a key strength of Kuwait, fostering productivity, entrepreneurship, innovation, and a transition toward a knowledge-based and digital economy. Initiatives supporting impactful digital content, cultural communication, and knowledge economy growth reflect the government’s strategic focus on human capital development.
Waleed Al-Bahr, Acting Director General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, described the Fund as a vital arm of Kuwaiti diplomacy.
Over nearly 64 years, it has provided more than 1,037 soft loans totaling around 7 billion Kuwaiti dinars (USD 22 billion) across nine sectors, including infrastructure, health, education, and social development, and 349 grants and technical assistance projects worth about 392 million dinars (USD 1.27 billion). He affirmed that humanitarian and developmental work remains a central pillar of Kuwait’s foreign policy.
Ooredoo CEO Abdulaziz Al-Babtain highlighted the importance of technology in digital diplomacy, emphasizing the role of AI-enabled data centers in enhancing Kuwait’s digital transformation, strengthening global communication, and supporting development initiatives.
The event featured the screening of the documentary “Across Borders”, showcasing Kuwait’s digital diplomacy, development projects, and cultural and humanitarian achievements, including contributions of the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Cultural Foundation and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
The documentaries highlighted Kuwait’s lasting impact in promoting culture, development, and humanitarian work both domestically and internationally.
