The French government awarded Dr. Walid Al-Saif the Order of Arts, Literature and Culture, with the rank of Knight, in a ceremony hosted by the French Ambassador, Claire Le Fleischer, at her residence, which was attended by Kuwaiti diplomats and academics. Al-Saif welcomed the presence of a group of proponents of culture, arts and literature in Kuwait to witness the event, which he considered a tribute to the community.
Al-Saif said that his long-standing cultural relationship with France which began in 2011 with his participation in the membership of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee of Kuwait affiliated to the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), as the committee was seeking Kuwait’s accession to the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2015.
Moreover, Al-Saif worked as an economic advisor to the Financial Affairs Committee in the National Assembly, and moved at the request of the Secretary-General of the NCCAL at the time, Ali Al-Youha, to work as a consultant in his office. He then dedicated to cultural work and began to implement its provisions, especially the development of Kuwait’s foreign cultural relations, in which his first delegation was in Paris.
After his frequent visits to Paris to represent Kuwait, Al-Saif called for the signing of a new cultural treaty that strengthens cultural relations between the two countries for several years. The treaty called for a Kuwaiti woman who was specialized in research and excavation to search the French archives about everything related to Kuwait, in addition to the call for a reception for Kuwaiti graduates from French universities to create a gathering that aims to invest their capabilities and expertise in various fields to serve the interests of the two countries.
In a similar speech, the French Ambassador, H.E Claire Le Fleischer, said, addressing Al-Saif: “I have always been a great supporter of France in Kuwait in the field of cultural cooperation. Therefore, France decided to honor you, and the French Minister of Culture awarded you the Medal of Arts, Literature and Culture with the rank of Knight as a recognition.”
The ambassador said that the award was in honor of the services Al-Saif has provided not only to Kuwaiti culture, but also to various other culture and heritages.
