The Papal Nuncio: Wherever the road takes me, a part of my heart will remain in Kuwait
The Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, Eugene Nugent, affirmed that his years of service in Kuwait and the Gulf region were exceptional and filled with memories, praising the hospitality, spirit of friendship, and openness he encountered in Kuwait. He stated that a part of his heart would remain in the country after his departure to assume a new post in the Czech Republic.
In a farewell speech delivered during a special ceremony attended by several ambassadors and a large group of members of the Indian community, marking the end of his mission in Kuwait, Nugent said he was leaving the country “with immense gratitude,” after years he described as “exceptional, and certainly not boring.”
He added that his tenure also witnessed difficult times, ranging from the war in Ukraine to the war in Gaza and the escalation in the American-Israeli-Iranian conflict, noting that residents of Kuwait and the Gulf experienced moments of anxiety and fear during that period.
However, Nugent emphasized that his most precious memories from his years in the Gulf were not solely tied to major political events, but rather to what he described as “very human moments,” including religious and cultural celebrations, national holidays, receptions, school visits, and meetings with Kuwaiti youth and expatriates.
In a notable remark reflecting the nature of his relationship with Kuwaiti society, Nugent said that diplomacy taught him that “some of the strongest bridges between peoples are built around the dining table,” recalling many unforgettable meals he shared during his years in Kuwait.
He also expressed his appreciation for visits to camps, chalets, and diwaniyas (traditional gathering spaces), considering these encounters as opportunities to enjoy the exceptional hospitality for which the region is known.
He affirmed that what he would take with him from Kuwait and the Gulf was not only memories of events and official meetings, but the people themselves, stating that the Gulf in general and Kuwait in particular taught him that friendship is capable of transcending the boundaries of nationality, religion, language, and culture. He added, “I came here with a message of dialogue and encounter, but I am leaving having received far more than I could have offered.”
He pointed out that his relationships with Kuwaitis and members of various communities formed a fundamental aspect of his experience, noting that human encounters, friendship, and dialogue left a deep impression on his tenure as the ambassador of the Holy See.
Nugent said he would soon replace the “sun of Kuwait” with the cold winter of Prague, adding in an emotional tone that he might sometimes wonder during the winter why he had ever complained about the heat in Kuwait.
Nugent recalled the visit of Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Kuwait last January, on the occasion of raising the Church of Our Lady of the Arabian Peninsula in Ahmadi to the rank of a “minor basilica,” considering it “another historic moment and a beautiful tribute to the long and prominent presence of the Catholic Church in Kuwait.”
