AUK Hosts National and Liberation Day Celebrations
21st Mar 2019 | by the Department of PR & Marketing
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) commemorated the National and Liberation days through celebrations carried out across campus initiated and supported by the Office of Student Life. Overall efforts were received from AUK’s clubs and organizations, including the Student Council, SBSA Club, Fikir Club, AUKause, Arabic Debate Club, Alpha Psi Omega, AUKMUN, and the International Relations Club (IRC). This campus-wide, two-week celebration channelled both the AUK community spirit and the national holiday’s spirit.
The celebration saw the campus decorated with traditional elements, including a display of a traditional Bedouin tent, where traditional treats and henna were offered. This was set up next to the “Dukkan Bu SBSA”, which sold local snacks. Across the main hallway, AUK’s student entrepreneurs were empowered to display their businesses that ranged from food to technology.
Festivities continued across campus through live performances such as, ‘The Kind Ones Left’, where students portrayed old Kuwaiti theatrical shows and issues. The play was organized by the Alpha Psi Omega and AUKause clubs. In attending the play, Abdullah Al-Enezi, a senior Engineering student at AUK, said, “Personally, it made me feel nostalgic for a simpler time.” The weeks also included live performance from Sheyaab and the Bu Awadh Traditional Band; as well as the movie screening of ‘Sirb Al Hamam’, a film based on a Kuwaiti resistance group during the invasion of 1990. The film’s director, Ramadhan Khasrouh, was in attendance to reflect on his personal experience during the Iraqi invasion.
In an effort to raise awareness related to cultural phenomenon, events such as the “Cultural Tolerance Dialogue” by Fikir Club were held, in which International Relations Associate Professors George Irani and Rounwah Bseiso reflected upon modern Kuwait’s sociocultural fabric by discussing themes of multiculturalism, coexistence and celebrating other cultures. Later, the National Day Debate was held by the Debate Club to dispute the governmental enforcement of national day celebrations across Kuwait’s public and private institutions.
To conclude the week, AUKMUN held “Kuwait & the UNESCO Lecture”, in which the preservation and promotion of Kuwait’s cultural heritage was examined in an effort to strengthen the national identity. On the sideline, the IRC also explored Kuwait’s growth since its independence by reflecting on the Kuwait National Football Team’s debut in the 1982 World Cup edition. Similarly, they reviewed the role of Kuwait’s army in the 1980s during the turbulent political and economic dynamic of the region, as discussed by retired Major General Saber Al Suwaidan.
In commenting on the reception of the celebration, Shirley Sullivan, Director of Student Life, commented, “The clubs and organization worked harmoniously to put together a week-long festive occasion at AUK. It was great to see the community cherish old memories and celebrate the culture of diversity in Kuwait through music, games, and dialogues.”
Former Major General Saber Al-Suwaidan during his talk
Film director, Ramadhan Khasrouh discussing his film after the screening
SBSA Club’s Dukkan