Hala Al-Mohammed: Stamps... A Document of Kuwait's History
Sheikha Hala Badr Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, an honorary member of the Kuwait Philatelic and Numismatic Society, affirmed that stamps and postcards serve as vital historical documents for Kuwait, as they document the buildings, places, and events that have shaped the nation’s collective memory. She emphasized the necessity of preserving heritage buildings and restoring those that can be saved, while converting some into museums and tourist sites to attract visitors to Kuwait.
This statement was made during the opening of the “Kuwait’s Architectural Renaissance in Stamps and Postcards” exhibition, organized by the Kuwait Philatelic and Numismatic Society. The exhibition features a personal collection from Hisham Al-Balloom, the society’s deputy chairman, documenting more than 130 Kuwaiti buildings and streets, and reflecting aspects of the country’s architectural and cultural heritage.
Al-Mohammed noted that the exhibition reveals how postal stamps have contributed to preserving a significant portion of Kuwait’s history by documenting old buildings and major events. She pointed out that postcards, in turn, have preserved images and scenes of sites that no longer exist today.
“Postal stamps have proven the existence of these buildings, which is why we hope officials will pay attention to them and seek them out, as they are part of our history,” she said, adding that some of these structures have been demolished, while others remain but require restoration.
She stressed the importance of restoring and revitalizing heritage buildings, proposing that some be converted into museums and historical sites accessible to tourists and history enthusiasts. “These buildings are proof of important stages in our country’s history,” she said.
Sheikha Hala expressed regret over the loss of several old buildings that were once part of Kuwaitis’ daily landscape, noting that she saw buildings in the exhibition that reminded her of her childhood but no longer exist.
She cited Al-Shuwaikh Secondary School and its distinctive features, such as the globe, alongside other structures demolished for various reasons, emphasizing that preserving and restoring what remains is a responsibility toward safeguarding national memory.
She recalled that in its early stages, Kuwait relied on limited resources, “we had only the land and the sea,” making the buildings constructed during that period significant testaments to the country’s development and architectural renaissance.
She stressed the need for relevant authorities to pay special attention to old buildings, particularly those still eligible for restoration, arguing that preserving and rehabilitating them could help introduce new generations to Kuwait’s history and enhance the country’s presence as a cultural and tourist destination.
She noted that some old buildings featured distinctive architectural designs, and that Kuwait had engaged foreign engineers at various stages to design several of its facilities, making these structures an important part of Kuwait’s architectural renaissance.
She affirmed that the exhibition’s primary message is the preservation of historical and heritage buildings that form an integral part of Kuwait’s memory, history, and heritage. She called for moving beyond mere documentation through photographs and stamps, urging efforts to rescue, restore, and repurpose what can be saved while maintaining their identity.
For his part, Al-Balloom emphasized that a postage stamp represents “the identity and symbol of every country,” serving as an important historical document through which one can trace the urban, cultural, and tourism development stages the country has undergone.
Al-Bilam added, on the sidelines of the opening of his solo exhibition documenting the country’s urban renaissance, that the exhibition highlights, through stamps and postcards, the urban development Kuwait has witnessed since the late 1950s and early 1960s, along with the accompanying progress in buildings, streets, and various landmarks.
He further noted that the exhibition documents several buildings that were demolished in later stages, “but the stamps and postcards have proven their existence and preserved their images for future generations,” emphasizing that the role of postage stamps extends beyond being mere postal tools, as they serve as a record documenting the state’s history and stages of development.
