Kuwait Cartoonists Association Holds 'The Filial Son' Exhibition Honoring the Late Saleh Al-Ajiri - Sarmad
The Kuwait Cartoonists Association held its third cartoon exhibition in honor of Dr. Saleh Al-Ajiri, featuring participation from international artists.
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
The Kuwaiti Cartoonists Association hosted an exhibition and competition titled “The Third Exhibition of the Filial Son” and a portrait of the late Dr. Saleh Al-Ajiri – the exhibition’s personality of this year – on Wednesday, with participation from cartoon artists from Kuwait and around the world.
Mohammed Thalab, president of the association, told journalists that the exhibition and competition are held under the patronage of Ibrahim Al-Baghlai, chairman of the board of directors of the Ibrahim Al-Baghlai Filial Son Foundation. The event features more than 100 artistic works that collectively address the ethical and social values embodying filial piety and reinforcing this value in society.
Thalab added that the selection of the late astronomer Dr. Saleh Al-Ajiri as the exhibition’s personality for this year comes in recognition of the ethical and patriotic values he embodied and his contribution to instilling these values in Kuwait’s younger generations. He noted that the exhibition includes a series of paintings portraying Al-Ajiri through portrait art.
He clarified that the exhibition features artists from more than 50 countries, presenting diverse artistic works on the theme of the filial son and the personality of Al-Ajiri. This year marks the first-time participation of several countries in the competition, including Scandinavian nations, Brazil, and Malaysia, alongside artists from China and Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
Thalab expressed gratitude and appreciation to Ibrahim Al-Baghlai, chairman of the board of directors of the Ibrahim Al-Baghlai Filial Son Foundation, for his support and patronage of the competition, his endorsement of the filial son concept, and his commitment to embedding this value in Kuwaiti society. He also commended the efforts of the organizing committee and participating artists in preparing the exhibition and presenting the artworks in a manner that reflects the diversity of experiences and artistic schools.
He noted that the exhibition will run for a week, after which the organizing committee will announce the names of the top three winners at a later date, expressing his hope for continued attraction of artistic participation from various countries around the world.
For his part, Ali Hassan, chairman of the Supreme Committee of the Al-Baghlai Filial Son Award, stated in a similar remark that the third edition of the cartoon art exhibition in 2026 is part of efforts to promote the virtue of filial piety and reinforce authentic human and social values in Kuwaiti society by employing visual arts and cartooning to convey purposeful awareness messages to various segments of society.
Hassan added that the selection of the late Dr. Saleh Al-Ajiri reflects the award organizers’ commitment to highlighting inspiring Kuwaiti figures who have left indelible marks on the country’s history and introducing their contributions to new generations, thereby enhancing values of loyalty and appreciation for those who give.
He pointed out that the exhibition serves as an artistic and cultural platform bringing together creators and enthusiasts of cartoon art, allowing them to express human and social issues through innovative artistic methods. He emphasized the importance of continuing such initiatives, which contribute to spreading a culture of filial piety and enhancing social responsibility.
