Kuwait concludes Arab Culture and Media Year with call for deeper Arab partnership

The representative of His Highness the Amir, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Information and Culture Omar Al-Omar, said the relationship between culture and media is rooted in responsibility, construction and influence rather than promotion, stressing that culture without conscious media remains limited in impact, while media without a solid cultural foundation loses depth and meaning.

Al-Omar delivered his remarks during the closing ceremony of the Kuwait Capital of Arab Culture and Media 2025 events, held on Wednesday evening at the National Theatre in the Sheikh Jaber Cultural Centre. The ceremony took place under the high patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad.

Conveying the Amir’s greetings, Al-Omar expressed his wishes for continued success in joint Arab cultural and media efforts. He said Kuwait had sought to make its designation as Capital of Arab Culture and Media a practical pathway rather than a symbolic title, through initiatives and programs reflecting its belief that culture builds awareness and media carries responsibility in supporting creativity and strengthening Arab cultural presence within a balanced and influential discourse, reports A-Rai daily.

He stressed that Jerusalem remains central to the Arab cultural project as a permanent capital of Arab culture and a symbol of identity, memory and shared civilization. The year’s activities, he added, embodied collective Arab action in which culture was not a passing event and media was not merely a channel, but a true partner in shaping the message and preserving memory in a spirit of openness and respect for diversity.

Al-Omar noted that the year aligned with broader institutional Arab cultural efforts led by conferences of Arab Ministers of Culture, aimed at protecting Arab identity, supporting creativity and reinforcing culture’s role in comprehensive development.

During the ceremony, the Director-General of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, announced that Libya will assume the title of Arab Capital of Culture and Media in the next session.

The evening featured the grand musical theatrical production “Naseej,” a celebratory performance blending heritage with modern artistic expression. The show highlighted Kuwait’s cultural leadership and its role in knowledge transmission through an imaginative dramatic structure rooted in identity, memory and heritage, reintroduced in a contemporary artistic form combining authenticity and innovation.

Drawing inspiration from Kuwaiti Sadu weaving, the production presented an artistic journey through history and geography, linking the past to the present and future. Through nine theatrical scenes, the story followed a young Kuwaiti boy inspired by the travels of Ibn Battuta, portrayed on stage alongside historical and literary figures, with the narrative moving across Arab cultural landmarks from Kuwait to the Maghreb, Egypt and Palestine.

The production incorporated music, singing, movement and drama in a visually rich scenography that employed modern theatrical techniques, digital visual spaces and symbolic imagery. Directed by Abdullah Abdulrasoul, the show transformed heritage into a dynamic theatrical language, using light, sound and choreography to create a multi-layered artistic experience.

“Naseej” concluded with a collective musical tableau celebrating Kuwaiti and Arab heritage, turning the National Theatre stage into a vibrant space where memory, identity and artistic expression converged in a festive cultural statement.