Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United States, Sheikh Salem Al- Sabah, was honored Monday for his “steadfast and generous support” of the annual National Memorial Day parade since its inception in 2005, support that has been “crucial to the parade’s survival and growth.”
Founder and President of the American Veterans Center which hosts the annual National Memorial Day Parade, James Roberts, said during remarks at the parade that since the parade began in 2005, Kuwait has been one of the first sponsors “and they’ve been with us ever since.”
He added that every year, Sheikh Salem attends the parade “expressing the gratitude that the people of Kuwait have to the people in the United States for the liberation of their country.” He noted that “in the early years survival of this parade was very very tenuous from year to year and I frankly don’t know whether we would be here today have it not been the steadfast support for the people of Kuwait.” Sheikh Salem was presented at the parade with a plaque in recognition of his generous support.
“Ambassador Al-Sabah has personified the fraternal ties of friendship that bind our two nations and his steadfast support of the American Veterans Center and the military services of the United State will never be forgotten.”, Roberts commented.
For his part, Sheikh Salem said in his remarks at the parade, that was attended by thousands of people from across the nation and broadcasted on television, “I’m here today to tell you that Kuwait will never forget what America did for us 32 years ago.” “Our gratitude to what you did and your sacrifices to us will always be engraved in our hearts and always in our minds and we’re teaching our younger generations what America stands for and what America did for us,” he added.
Sheikh Salem continued, “I stand in front of you today as an ambassador of a free, independent and sovereign country, because of what you did for us, because of your sacrifice.” “So we’re here to say thank you. We will always remember and we will always be part of this parade and we will be a proud supporter and participator in this parade as we move forward.”
Kuwait participated in the parade, which is the largest Memorial Day event in the nation, with a float that passed on Constitution Avenue to convey “deep appreciation for those who served and those who fell” in the fight to liberate the country.
