Art and culture are reflective of the status of any given nation and plays an integral role in diplomacy, said Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Wednesday.
Delivering a speech at the opening of the “Art and Diplomacy.. Kuwait’s Shared Language” conference, Sheikh Salem — who delivered a speech on part of the patron of the event His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah — said that “art is not only integral to diplomacy, it is also complimentary to it”.
The event, held at the Amricani Cultural Center, celebrated the 40th anniversary of establishing Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah cultural organization.
Sheikh Salem recalled a “somber moment in history” when the US confronted the devastating terrorist attack on its homeland on September 11, 2001.
“At that time, I had only been the Ambassador in Washington for three weeks… But in a timely stand of solidarity, Kuwait’s Cultural Envoys, Sheikha Hessa (Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah) and the Late Sheikh Nasser (Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah) launched a Dar Al-Athaar exhibition at the Met in New York, not far from ground zero,” indicated Sheikh Salem.
During that critical moment in history, Sheikha Hessa said, “We are showing Islam’s truth of tolerance, affection and culture.” “At a time of fear, that Exhibition brought us together… When our American friends were in pain, that Exhibition sought to console them. Ladies and Gentlemen, that exhibition in 2001 was a true testimony to the intersection of Art and Diplomacy,” Sheikh Salem affirmed.
The Minister took the moment to thank both Sheikha Hessa and late Sheikh Nasser for their patronage of Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah, which became a beacon for all those eager to exchange culture and understanding amongst people of the world.
On his part, Acting Secretary General of the National Council for Arts, Culture, and Letter (NCCAL) Dr. Mohammad Al-Jassar indicated that both Sheikh Nasser and Sheikha Hessa began their cultural collection in 1973, before establishing the Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiya in 1983.
The cultural organization had played an integral role in promoting the cause of Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion of 1990, revealed Al-Jassar who noted that Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah continued to organize exhibitions during this dark period in Kuwait’s history.
This artistic and cultural diplomacy maintained Kuwait’s presence in the international scene, affirmed the official.
Source: Kuwait News Agency