Kuwait’s Int’l Music Festival celebrates creativity, heritage, and cultural dialogue
- The festival coincides with Kuwait being named Arab Capital of Culture and Media for 2025, celebrating the country’s long-standing cultural, creative, and media contributions that strengthen its pioneering role in promoting joint Arab cultural action and human values.
- This year’s festival honors the prominent Kuwaiti artist Abdulaziz Al-Mufrej (Shadi Al-Khaleej), a symbol of Kuwait’s musical heritage whose contributions strengthened the country’s national musical identity.
- The event featured honors for artists and cultural figures including Abdulaziz Al-Mufrej, Dr. Hamad Bursali, composer Matar Al-Kuwari from Qatar, and Dr. Enas Abdel Dayem from Egypt. Tributes were also paid to the late composer Ahmed Baqer and composer Anwar Abdullah. A musical performance by Khaled Al-Ajery and Abdulaziz Al-Musabah, accompanied by maestro Dr. Khaled Al-Nouri’s band, celebrated the rich diversity and authenticity of Kuwaiti music, capturing the festival’s spirit of creativity and innovation.
Minister of Information and Culture, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, affirmed that the International Music Festival reflects the political leadership’s steadfast commitment to supporting creativity and the arts.
Speaking at the opening of the 25th edition at Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center, held under his patronage, he emphasized that music serves as a universal language that transcends borders, promoting dialogue, diversity, and human rapprochement.
Al-Mutairi highlighted that the festival coincides with Kuwait being named Arab Capital of Culture and Media for 2025, celebrating the country’s long-standing cultural, creative, and media contributions that strengthen its pioneering role in promoting joint Arab cultural action and human values.
He noted that the event aligns with the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters’ strategy (2023–2028), which aims to build an integrated cultural system grounded in identity, innovation, sustainability, and cultural communication, positioning culture and music as pivotal elements of national development and Kuwait’s soft power.
This year’s festival honors the prominent Kuwaiti artist Abdulaziz Al-Mufrej (Shadi Al-Khaleej), a symbol of Kuwait’s musical heritage whose contributions strengthened the country’s national musical identity. Al-Mutairi described the tribute as a celebration of the founding generation that laid the foundations of authentic Kuwaiti art and as recognition of all who used art to serve the nation and humanity.
Over the past 25 years, the festival has become a key regional platform for exchanging artistic expertise and experiences, reflecting Kuwait’s status as a leading cultural and humanitarian hub. During the festival, distinguished Kuwaiti and Arab artists are honored to encourage excellence among younger generations and to invest in cultural development.
The opening ceremony saw Al-Mutairi express gratitude to the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, the organizing and technical committees, and participating guests from various countries, while praying for Kuwait’s continued progress, prosperity, and prominence as a center of creativity and cultural dialogue.
The event featured honors for artists and cultural figures including Abdulaziz Al-Mufrej, Dr. Hamad Bursali, composer Matar Al-Kuwari from Qatar, and Dr. Enas Abdel Dayem from Egypt. Tributes were also paid to the late composer Ahmed Baqer and composer Anwar Abdullah. A musical performance by Khaled Al-Ajery and Abdulaziz Al-Musabah, accompanied by maestro Dr. Khaled Al-Nouri’s band, celebrated the rich diversity and authenticity of Kuwaiti music, capturing the festival’s spirit of creativity and innovation.
