Morning Section: Awareness of Future Generations of Their Heritage is the Real Bet

In a press statement, Sheikha Hessa Al Sabah affirmed that “the launch of the 31st cultural season represents an extension of the civilizational vision laid by the late Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah. Today, we continue to advance this journey, keeping Kuwait and the new generation at the core of our focus. Building the awareness of future generations regarding their heritage and authenticity is the true bet we are working on, underscoring that our cultural mission is renewed and continuous, year after year.”

For his part, Badr Al-Buwayjan, head of the founding committee of Friends of the Dar, stated in his speech at the season’s opening that every Monday will serve as “two doors”: one for knowledge through lectures, and the other for music through musical events.

He clarified that other important activities within and outside the country will continue with full momentum. This season includes a rich array of international exhibitions from the Al-Sabah Collection, alongside ongoing artistic performances, workshops, films, and activities designed for children and families. He emphasized the continued focus on establishing the Dar as a leading force in driving and producing purposeful cultural activities and events.

For his part, Dr. Rajab said, “It is a source of joy and pride for me to deliver a lecture at the opening of the Islamic Antiquities House season. I would like to begin by extending my thanks to Sheikha Hessa Al Sabah and everyone at the Dar for the kindness and continuous generosity they have shown me over the years.”

During the lecture, he explored deep civilizational and artistic aspects, as well as links in civilizational heritage, drawing from artifacts in the Tariq Rajab Museum, forming an inspiring opening for a comprehensive program spanning the season.

The lecture addressed textiles as active media for cultural exchange across Asia, the Islamic world, and Europe. Fabrics such as Chinese silk, Persian velvet, Ottoman embroidery, Indian cottons, and luxurious European textiles contributed to the transmission of motifs and ideas through trade, diplomacy, and migration. These decorative units—ranging from arabesques and geometric forms to mythological and botanical motifs—were reinterpreted in various regions, and their presence extended to ceramics, metalwork, manuscripts, and architecture.

This year’s season carries the slogan “Two Doors on Monday,” inspired by authentic Kuwaiti chants. Events will alternate every Monday evening between intellectual lectures and musical evenings. The program features participation by a distinguished group of researchers, academics, and musicians from Kuwait, alongside a select group of international lecturers and experts specializing in Islamic antiquities and arts from the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Benaki Museum in Athens, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK. It includes local and regional musical performances from Kuwait and the Arab world, evenings dedicated to folk and world musical heritage, theatrical performances, workshops, and family days.

The current season is distinguished by intellectual and informational richness, through internal exhibitions that the Dar will present to the public via its interactive internal galleries, offering a close-up view of rare artifacts from the Al-Sabah Antiquities Collection from various Islamic eras. The season will also witness the opening of the children’s exhibition “Al-Isan: Crafting Beauty in Mosques,” inviting children aged 6 to 12 to explore beauty through their eyes, and the exhibition “The Mystery of the Three Emeralds: The Green Path.”

Furthermore, the Dar continues to organize international exhibitions from various continents and countries around the world, aiming to highlight Kuwait’s civilizational role and build solid bridges of communication with global cultural institutions. These include exhibitions in nine Chinese cities, as well as in the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, India, and Italy.

The Department of Islamic Antiquities places children and youth at the forefront of its priorities this season, featuring specialized programs that include Family Days, which bring families together on weekends in an enjoyable cultural setting. The department also offers interactive and specialized workshops in Arabic calligraphy, simplified conservation techniques, and heritage arts, as well as school and university field trips designed to connect younger generations with human history and heritage.