LONDON: Kuwait Cultural Week kicked off on Tuesday in the United Kingdom under the patronage of His Highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The cultural week comes as part of a series of activities between the two countries within the framework of “the Year of Kuwaiti-British Partnership.” In a statement to KUNA, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah said that the events would include a number of cultural and craft exhibitions, hosted by the Kuwaiti Embassy in London.

A musical concert will be held in one of the theaters in the British capital. Ambassador Jarrah Al-Sabah pointed out that this event came as part of celebration marking the 125th anniversary of the signing of the Anglo-Kuwaiti Agreement in 1899. He praised the efforts to organize this event in London, stressing at the same time the importance of these activities in strengthening cultural and social relations between the two countries.

Opening ceremony of the Kuwait Heritage Society exhibition in London. – KUNA photos

Deputy FM Ambassador Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah attended the Kuwaiti Cultural Week's opening ceremony in London.

LONDON: The Kuwait Heritage Society, in cooperation with the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), organized an exhibition on Kuwaiti-British relations in travelers’ books, documents and photos at the Kuwaiti embassy in London as part of the Kuwaiti Cultural Week.

Kuwaiti-British relation

Honoring 125 years of Kuwaiti-British relations, the Kuwait Heritage Society organized an exhibition in cooperation with the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL). In remarks to KUNA, President of Kuwait Heritage Society Fahad Al-Abduljalil affirmed Kuwaiti-British bilateral relations. Travelers’ books, historical documents, and photographs were displayed at the exhibition.

“The relation between Kuwait and the United Kingdom is deeply rooted since the late Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah signed the Anglo-Kuwaiti agreement in 1899,” Al-Abduljalil added. The exceptional relationship between the two countries increased Kuwait’s trade, especially with India. In 1904, Captain SG Knox arrived in Kuwait, serving as London’s first political representative, and after 20 other successful British agents, the late Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah announced the cancellation of the treaty by signing Kuwait’s declaration of independence in 1961.

Kuwaiti heritage researcher Hani Al-Asousi and Associate Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology Hasan Ashkanani were key members in the exhibition as they explained these documents. The exhibition — which lasts until September 6 — was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps and Bahraini Ambassador to the United Kingdom Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa, British Ambassador to Kuwait Belinda Lewis, and other officials. — KUNA