Kuwait's largest cultural center named after late Amir

A view of the library for historical documents, one of the four buildings opened in Kuwait City, Kuwait, Monday. / Courtesy Ministry of Information

By Kim Jae-heun

KUWAIT CITY ― Kuwait opened the Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Center, the nation’s biggest arts center, in Kuwait City on Monday. A splendor of traditional and international musicians, including Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, performed at the opening ceremony.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the 15th ruler and fifth Emir of Kuwait since the independence of Kuwait, attended the inauguration event. He was accompanied by Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Qatar’s Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.

Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

Following the national anthem, Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah gave an inaugural speech. He stated that the center will be instrumental to cultural development and the country is now enjoying the fruits of its labors. He added that similar great achievements will follow, expressing his gratitude for the nation’s leadership and wishing for Kuwait’s further prosperity.

A large number of local and foreign guests attended the opening ceremony of the country’s first 2,000-seat opera house, one of the four main buildings of the cultural center. The other three venues are a theater center, a conference center and a library for historical documents ― all covered by a massive titanium shell with an Islamic architecture-inspired geometric design.

Stretching 214,000 square meters in the heart of the capital city, the newly launched venue is named after the state’s late Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who suggested the idea of establishing and supporting the cultural building.

A bird’s eye view of Kuwait’s Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center / Courtesy of Ministry of Information

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the new opera house in Kuwait City.

Kuwait has been popular for its theater and TV shows in the Gulf region, but this is its first time opening modern facilities in the sector. However, the new state-of-the art halls, including a 1,200-seat concert hall and a parking lot that can hold up to 3,200 vehicles, will now serve as an adequate venue for grand cultural festivals, especially with Kuwait being the “Capital of Islamic Culture 2016.”

“We believe the culture side is one of the most important things in our relationship,” said Kuwaiti General Secretary of Culture Mohammed Alasousi in an interview with The Korea Times at Sheraton Hotel in Kuwait City, last Sunday. “We believe that culture in general is the main gate through which we could interact with others all over the world.

“We have a lot of agreements between Kuwait and other countries and we believe that we could use these agreements for marketing Kuwait and receive other countries’ culture and traditions to show to our people in Kuwait.”