KUWAIT: Indonesian Ambassador to Kuwait Lena Maryana paid a special visit to Kuwait Times and Kuwait News on Thursday. As the first female envoy from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) to Kuwait, her visit fostered insightful conversations with the staff about their shared values in women’s empowerment and embracing inclusivity. Accompanied by Jana Alnaqeeb, PR and CSR Manager of Kuwait Times, the ambassador enjoyed an immersive tour, learning about the process of gathering, crafting and disseminating news. She visited all the newspaper’s departments, including the editorial section, social media section, archives room, studio, and printing press.

During her tour, Ambassador Maryana generously gifted Kuwait Times and Kuwait News a cherished sculpture showcasing a traditional Indonesian house, which was warmly accepted as a valuable addition to the newspaper’s cultural collectibles. Her visit to the archives room sparked discussions about Indonesia’s rich history and culture, highlighting interesting facts such as the country’s recognition and embrace of diverse religions, its 360+ dialects, and the country’s growing support for women in political and essential roles.

Indonesian ambassador gifts Kuwait Times, Kuwait News a traditional indonesian house sculpture.

Ambassador Maryana in the editorial section of the newspaper.

Ambassador Maryana in the printing press.

Youssef Abu-Ghazaleh, Kuwait Times Archivist, shares significant dates in history from Kuwait Times archives with ambassador Maryana.

Youssef Abu-Ghazaleh, Kuwait Times archivist, shared with Maryana significant dates in the newspaper’s archives’ publications, including Indonesia’s 50th Independence Day and the day when the state of Palestine was born and recognized by multiple countries, particularly Indonesia was one of them. The ambassador also viewed Kuwait Times’ special editions covering remarkable events in Kuwait, such as a Miami concert and Om-Kalthoum’s most recent concert, which incited the ambassador to engage with the staff in conversations about shared love of art and musical favorites.

At the studio, the young staff of the newspaper interviewed Ambassador Maryana, resulting in a valuable and enjoyable dialogue for the younger generation. She shared her thoughts on the similarities and differences between Kuwaiti and Indonesian cultures, her favorite Kuwaiti local dishes, and taught a few Indonesian phrases like “Good morning” which is “Selamat pagi” and “Thank you,” which is, “Terimakasih”. The visit concluded with Maryana sharing inspiring advice for young people, emphasizing the importance of acquiring key values to become influential individuals and perhaps future ambassadors in the world.