EU envoys visit Failaka Island to mark ‘Europe Month’ in Kuwait
The European Union ambassadors accredited to Kuwait visited the Failaka Island — one of Kuwait’s most significant heritage sites — to begin the Europe Month in Kuwait as joint EU-Kuwait efforts to preserve the cultural affinities.
The visit was organized in cooperation with the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, the French Embassy, and the French Center for Research in the Arabian Peninsula (CEFREPA), reports Al-Jarida daily.
Failaka, home to the ancient Hellenistic fortress once called ‘Ikarus’ during the era Alexander the Great, regularly hosts archaeological missions from the EU countries such as France, Denmark, Poland, Italy, and Slovakia.
A new French-Kuwaiti archaeological mission, led by Mathilde Gillain of the ArScAn–CNRS Institute in partnership with CEFREPA, is currently excavating the fortress to deepen scientific understanding and safeguard this historical landmark.
The EU delegation, guided by Failaka native and historian Hassan Al-Fulaijawi, gained deeper insights into the island’s heritage.
EU Ambassador Anne Koistinen praised the visit, saying, “Failaka Island reminds us of the deep cultural ties between Kuwait and Europe,” and expressed gratitude to the organizing institutions for making the visit possible.
