KUWAIT CITY, July 24: The General Secretariat of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters has announced plans to honor renowned Kuwaiti artists Nabil Shuail and Thuraya Al-Baqsami. This recognition will take place during a special ceremony held in conjunction with the 28th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministers of Culture in Doha, Qatar, next October.

In a press statement, Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, Minister of Information and Culture and Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, extended his congratulations to Shuail and Al-Baqsami on this notable occasion. The annual celebration aims to recognize outstanding contributors from the GCC countries who have made significant impacts in culture, arts, and literature, acknowledging their efforts to enrich the Gulf artistic and cultural scene and promote a unified Gulf identity.

This honor aligns with the GCC Cultural Strategy (2020-2030) and underscores the GCC countries’ commitment to enhancing joint cultural and artistic endeavors, supporting creators, and reinforcing the Gulf’s cultural identity.

As the 38th Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts commences today in Jordan, the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters will also set up a Kuwaiti pavilion. The pavilion, to be inaugurated by Dr. Mohammad Al-Jassar, Secretary-General of the Council, and Aisha Al-Mahmoud, Assistant Secretary-General for the Culture Sector, will showcase various aspects of Kuwaiti culture and arts.

Yousef Al-Jumaan, Director of the Communication, Relations, and Media Department at the Council, highlighted that Kuwait’s participation in the Jerash Festival will feature a distinguished group of Kuwaiti poets and writers engaging in festival activities. Additionally, the Kuwaiti delegation will meet with Jordan's Minister of Culture, Haifa Al-Najjar, to discuss enhancing cultural cooperation between the two nations. The delegation will also meet with Hamad Al-Marri, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan.

The Kuwaiti pavilion will include exhibitions of the National Council’s publications, such as the “Al-Arabi” magazine, the “Alam Al-Ma’rifa” book series, “Alam Al-Fikr” magazine, “World Culture” magazine, and various heritage and cultural series. Additionally, the pavilion will feature Kuwaiti tableware, handicraft textiles from the Sadu Society, and artworks by prominent Kuwaiti visual artists including Abdul Redha Baqer, Ibtisam Al-Asfour, Thuraya Al-Baqsami, Lina Hijazi, Anbar Walid, Sha’a Al-Hilfi, and Marzouq Al-Qana’i.

The National Council delegation will include Secretary-General Dr. Mohammad Al-Jassar, Assistant Secretary for the Culture Sector Aisha Al-Mahmoud, Yousef Al-Jumaan, Sarah Khalaf, Sheikha Al-Sabbagh, Wael Khaled Al-Jaber, Abdullah Hamid Al-Nasser, and Reham Abdul-Ridha Al-Zanki.