NCCAL chief underlines Kuwait-EU cultural ties
KUWAIT: Secretary General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) Mohammad Al-Jassar on Monday underscored the importance of cultural cooperation between Kuwait and the European Union, describing it as a cornerstone for strengthening bilateral ties across diverse sectors. Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of the EU-Kuwait Culture Forum, Al-Jassar praised the 'fruitful and excellent' cultural relations between the two sides.
The forum, held for the first time, was organized by the EU Delegation to Kuwait under the patronage of Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, in celebration of Kuwait's designation as the Arab Capital of Culture and Media for 2025. Al-Jassar noted the continued presence of EU archaeological teams working in Kuwait as a prime example of effective cooperation, emphasizing their contributions to unearthing and preserving the country's rich heritage.
Secretary General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) Mohammad Al-Jassar with Anne Koistinen, EU Ambassador to Kuwait. – KUNA photos
EU-Kuwait Culture Forum.
Secretary General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) Mohammad Al-Jassar
Anne Koistinen, EU Ambassador to Kuwait
He also highlighted the growing number of Kuwaiti students pursuing higher education in European countries, acquiring valuable expertise to support national development efforts. In addition, Al-Jassar pointed to successful architectural collaborations, including landmark projects in Kuwait designed by European architects, as further evidence of the strength of cultural ties. 'This forum reflects Kuwait's commitment to reinforcing cultural exchange with nations around the world, particularly the European Union,' he said.
EU Ambassador to Kuwait Anne Koistinen lauded Kuwait's cultural and civilizational legacy, describing it as a 'valuable traditional treasure.' She emphasized the depth of cooperation in various fields such as architecture, the arts, and human sciences, as well as shared museum initiatives between Kuwait and the EU. Koistinen praised the forum as a tangible demonstration of deep-rooted and expanding cultural collaboration, noting that Kuwait and the EU are set to mark 40 years of diplomatic relations in early 2026.
Prominent figures from both sides participated in the forum, engaging in dialogue on preserving cultural heritage and exploring new avenues of cooperation. Discussions included initiatives such as the European Capitals of Culture, best practices in heritage conservation, cultural innovation, the role of museums, and community engagement in cultural activities. The event also served as a platform to explore strategies to elevate EU-Kuwait cultural relations to a more strategic level, aligning with both sides' aspirations to foster long-term partnerships grounded in mutual respect and shared cultural values. — KUNA
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He cited as evidence the role of Saudi Arabia in the 1973 War when King Faisal made his historic decision to ban the export of oil in the heat of that war, which led to the cessation of the use of cars in Europe and made the residents of European countries return to riding bicycles. Continued from Page 1 The United States inserted itself into Israel's war against Iran early Sunday by dropping 30,000-pound bombs on an uranium enrichment site buried under a mountain, a risky gambit that aimed to destroy the Islamic Republic's nuclear program after months of failed diplomacy. The attack prompted fears of a wider regional conflict as Iran lashed out at the U.S. for crossing 'a very big red line.' The U.S. also fired dozens of missiles, and President Donald Trump said in a televised address from the White House that the combination of strikes 'completely and fully obliterated' three nuclear sites. However, U.S. defense officials said an assessment of the damage wrought by the attack still was ongoing. Hours later, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the time for diplomacy had passed and that his country had the right to defend itself. Araghchi said he would immediate fly to Moscow to coordinate positions with its ally, Russia. 'The warmongering and lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression,' he told reporters in Turkey in the first comments by a high-ranking Iranian official since the strikes. 'They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities.' The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on the Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities as well as its Isfahan nuclear site, but it insisted that its nuclear program will not be stopped. Both Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination around the three locations following the strikes. Countries around the globe are calling for diplomacy and no further escalation. It was not clear whether the U.S. would continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a war with Iran for nine days. But U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. does not 'seek war' and that the operation would not be 'open-ended,' though Trump earlier warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against U.S. forces. 'There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,' said Trump, who acted without congressional authorization. With the attack, the United States has inserted itself into a war it spent decades trying to avoid because of the dizzyingly high stakes. Success would mean ending Iran's nuclear ambitions once and for all and eliminating the last significant threat to Israel's security. But failure - or overreach - could plunge the U.S. into the vortex of another long and unpredictable conflict in the Middle East. For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this is the culmination of a decades long campaign to get the U.S. to strike Israel's chief regional rival and its disputed nuclear program. For Iran's supreme leader, the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it could mark the end of a similarly ambitious campaign to transform the Islamic Republic into a regional power and counterweight to the West.
