Cultural Forum concludes 13th season with ‘New Kuwaiti Creations’
The Cultural Forum concluded its thirteenth season with a closing evening titled “New Kuwaiti Creations”, featuring notable participation from Kuwaiti writers and novelists including Yousef Khalifa, Dr. Aziz Al-Feely, Salem Al-Nakheelan, Manal Al-Mazyad, Mubarak Kamal, Salem Shehab, Dr. Issa Al-Safran, Ibtisam Al-Sayyar, Mansour Al-Awadhi, and Nour Al-Mutawa. The event was attended by poet Sheikha Afrah Mubarak Al-Sabah, Dr. Sajid Al-Abdeli, and Saleh Al-Ghazi, director of That Al-Salasil Publishing and Distribution House.
Forum Chairman Taleb Al-Rifai emphasized that the forum’s 13-year continuity is due to the unwavering support of the public and participating intellectuals. He described the forum as an open platform for creators in Kuwait and beyond, and expressed gratitude to all contributors, reports Al-Jarida daily.
He also praised Sheikha Afrah Al-Sabah, founder of the Bigovlina Reading Club, for her consistent support, calling it a symbol of “cultural twinning” between the club and the forum.
Sheikha Afrah Al-Sabah in turn commended the forum, calling it a significant cultural platform that unites generations of writers and intellectuals, including youth.
She expressed hope for similar events across multiple cultural venues and suggested incorporating musical evenings and children’s participation to make them more engaging, adding that Kuwait is now the capital of Arab culture and media.
Publisher Dr. Sajid Al-Abdeli, owner of Shafaq Publishing House, said their goal is to invigorate the cultural scene with varied, modern publications, including the novel “The Taming of the Tantul” by Dr. Aziz Al-Fayli.
Saleh Al-Ghazi, director of That Al-Salasil, noted that he read many works pre-publication and consulted with the authors. He highlighted four key releases — “The Orange Tree” by Dr. Nour Al-Mutawa; “Fifty Stories” by Mansour Al-Awadhi; “The Sweet Resource” by Salem Al-Nakheelan and “The Time of the Pearl Master” by Yousef Khalifa
Several authors shared insights on their works:
Salem Shehab discussed his 2022 short story collection, “A Creature Collides With Itself”, published by Jadal, featuring 29 stories, most fictional, with a few rooted in Kuwaiti social reality.
Mubarak Kamal presented his novel “Slow Suicide” (Jadal), which delves into psychological fiction and the human confrontation with life’s complexities.
Manal Al-Mazid spoke about her social novel “My Way and the Watchman” (Dar Al-Farasha), inspired by real events.
Salem Al-Nakhilan explained his book “The Sweet Source”, which interprets Al-Busiri’s poem “Al-Burda”, comparing it with Ahmed Shawqi’s poetry.
Dr. Issa Al-Safran introduced his new book “The Dream Will Not Be Defeated” (Qartas), narrating a real-life journey through 14 chapters.
Ibtisam Al-Sayyar discussed her youth-focused book “Under Twenty” (Qartas), which addresses social and educational issues often overlooked at home and in schools.
