Kuwaiti Records – Arabian Records (1st post : Eid Al Fitr – 01st Shawwal 1439 (AH) / 15th June 2018 ) / (BETA testing – Research

KUWAITI Society for Human Rights awarded the 2023 Chaillot Prize for the Promotion of Human Rights

The EU Ambassador to the State of Kuwait H.E. Anne Koistinen presented the 2023 Chaillot Prize for the Promotion of Human Rights in the GCC region to the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights.

The EU Ambassador to the State of Kuwait H.E. Anne Koistinen presented the 2023 Chaillot Prize for the Promotion of Human Rights in the GCC region to the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights. The European Union awards the Chaillot Prize every year for actions, campaigns, projects and lifetime achievements that favour Human Rights promotion and awareness in the GCC region. The Prize is named after the Palais de Chaillot in Paris where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948.

In her speech during the ceremony held at the EU Residence in Kuwait, Ambassador Koistinen said: “I am honoured to present the Chaillot Prize for the Promotion of Human Rights in the GCC Region to the Kuwait Society for Human Rights for their unwavering dedication over the years to promoting and advancing human rights in Kuwait. I would like to highlight in particular their work in supporting and advocating for migrant workers’ rights in Kuwait and raising awareness about their labour rights. Engagement with the civil society in Kuwait is a very important part of EU Delegation’s work, therefore I am looking forward to continuing our long-standing cooperation with the Kuwait Society for Human Rights.

Mr. Khaled Al-Humaidi, President of the Board of Directors of the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights, said in his speech during the ceremony that ‘To be honoured today by awarding us the Challiot Prize for Human Rights is a great moral support for the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights. This Society has taken upon itself the responsibility of defending human rights and promoting them in the Kuwaiti society through concerted efforts at the government and community levels. We are delighted that the Chaillot Prize was granted to us for our tireless efforts in protecting the rights of migrant workers in Kuwait through the ‘Together Project’, which aims at raising awareness and protecting the rights of migrant workers in Kuwait. This project was implemented by the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights in cooperation with the European Union Delegation in Kuwait, the Netherlands Embassy, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, in addition to the US-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).’

For the EU, promoting and protecting human rights is at the heart of EU external policy as they are among the EU’s founding values of human dignity, freedom and respect of human rights. Cooperation on human rights and engagement with the civil society are an integral part of the relations between the European Union and all countries, including Kuwait. The European Union and Kuwait held their fourth Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels on 5 December 2023, where the two sides exchanged about the latest developments on both sides and reiterated their commitment to an open and constructive dialogue to jointly address human rights challenges and share best practices.

source/content: eeas.europa.eu (headline edited)

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© Kuwait Society for Human Rights (KSHR)

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KUWAIT

KUWAIT: New World Record for Largest Bisht, Breaks Previous World Record. 48 days of hard work pays off

Guinness-accredited arbitrator honours owner of Bisht Al Baghli exhibition.

Guinness Book of Records recognizes Kuwait’s impressive bisht achievement

Kuwait has set a new world record for the largest bisht in the world. The impressive garment, measuring 17 by 16 meters, broke the previous record of 17 by 9 meters held by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

The bisht was produced under the supervision of the Al Baghli Exhibition for the Bisht Industry, a well-known establishment in Kuwait famous for its high-quality traditional garments. Its sewing took a total of 48 days, with the team of craftsmen working tirelessly to ensure every detail was perfect.

The achievement has been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records, with Guinness-accredited arbitrator Kenzi Al Dafrawi honouring Riyad Al Baghli, owner of the Bisht Al Baghli exhibition.

A bisht is a long cloak traditionally worn over a thobe or kandura at special occasions or celebrations in Middle Eastern countries.

The garments are typically black, but also come in white and brown, and are made from a light, often sheer, material with gold trimming.

Traditionally, they are worn at times of celebration, for weddings, Eid and significant festivals. Historically, they were a winter garment, reserved for keeping the wearer warm on colder nights.

source/content: gulfnews.com (headline edited)

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The impressive garment measures 17 by 16 meters. / Image Credit: Kuna

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KUWAIT: Shaikha Al-Bahar, receives ‘Distinguished Services to Arab Banking Award’ from Arab Bankers Association and becomes First Woman to Win this Award.

First woman to win this prestigious award.

Shaikha Al-Bahar, Deputy Group CEO at National Bank of Kuwait, received “Distinguished Services to Arab Banking Award 2022” from the Arab Bankers Association (ABA) in recognition and appreciation of her dedicated efforts and outstanding contributions to the growth of the Arab banking industry.

Lord William Russell, the former mayor of the City of London, presented the award to Al-Bahar, during the Arab Bankers Association’s annual event, which was held in London, England and was attended by top executives and key leaders across the financial services industry.

In her acceptance speech, Al-Bahar said NBK has adopted a cooperate culture of leadership, that doesn’t only drive excellence, but rather actively demonstrates that excellence. Drawing from this unique culture, NBK’s leaders inspire their team members to forge a carrier in the banking industry by providing them with the right tools to create efficiencies and deliver the best results.

“I am very proud of what I have achieved throughout my career with NBK. It gives me more pride that my professional career was closely aligned with my personal believes and goals, which helped me achieve a lot of my personal aspirations, especially the ones that relate to giving back to the community through responsible banking practices”. Al-Bahar said.

“I am also honored to be a member of the leadership team that has guided NBK to its prominent position as one of the region’s leading financial institutions.” Al-Bahar added.

Al-Bahar highlighted that behind her personal accomplishment, there was dedication and willingness to differentiate herself through hard work, thinking outside the box, and getting out of her comfort zones.

Al-Bahar described her professional journey as one filled with devotion, evolution, and inspiration, from its starting point as a trainee in one of NBK’s branches, all the way until she took the helm as DGCEO. Throughout this unique journey, she managed to leave a positive footprint and played a key role in shaping the Group’s strategic vision, a direction that successfully positioned NBK as the most Valuable Banking Brand in Kuwait and among the top five banking brands in the region.

Al-Bahar emphasized that NBK adopts an open culture of customer-centricity, innovation, digital mindset, and data-driven decision-making to well position NBK as a digital leader and trendsetter in Kuwait and the region, building next generation digital banking experience.

NBK Group Deputy CEO also stated that the long-term interests of all NBK stakeholders are inseparable, as the Bank continues to create added value to all its customers, employees, and communities.

“A real leader knows how to drive change. Therefore, I am committed to advocating for greater boardroom diversity and continue developing and supporting various women empowerment initiatives, the latest of which was launching “NBK RISE”, a first-of-its-kind Global Women Leadership Initiative designed by women for women”. Al-Bahar noted.

Al-Bahar emphasized the importance of gender balance in boardrooms, as nowadays it has come to the forefront. Therefore, NBK took the initiative and started from within, ensuring that women break boardroom barriers and that they have adequate representation on all our boards and committees.

“In today’s fast-changing global environment, we continue to inspire our teams to be future leaders and provide them with the tools to transform organizations, enhance value creation, create efficiencies, and deliver better results.” Al-Bahar said.

Al-Bahar believes that continuous learning is key to success, and that people learn the most when thrown in the deep end.

Acknowledgment and Appreciation

In conclusion of her speech, Al-Bahar acknowledged the collaborative dedication of NBK employees, highlighting their efforts as they continue to elevate NBK’s leadership position to new heights.

“This award reflects our vision to continue building on our excellence and further strengthens our resolve to maintain the course of our inclusive, resilient, and sustainable approach. At NBK, we have always been focused on developing effective leaders within and throughout our organization, and thereby improve the overall quality of our operations.” Al-Bahar concluded.

A Role Model for Ambition

Former Mayor of the City of London, Lord William Russell, said that Al-Bahar is a role model for the ambitious women across the Middle East and on the international front, adding that as a leading banker in the GCC, she offers a strategic viewpoint and distinct voice that is recognized and valued by politicians and leaders.

A Prominent Role

Meanwhile, Mr. George Kanaan, CEO of the Arab Bankers Association, stressed that Al-Bahar was instrumental in the growth of banking services throughout the Middle East, as well as in assisting enterprises and organizations to obtain the financial products and services they required to achieve their goals.

The Arab Bankers’ Association (ABA) was founded in 1980 and is a London-based not-for-profit professional organization whose members work in banks and related industries in the Arab world and in the United Kingdom. ABA is dedicated to strengthening the connection and interdependence among members of the financial sector in Arab nations and the United Kingdom through constant contact and information exchange, as well as a diverse range of activities and events.

source/content: arabtimesonline.com (headline edited)

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Al-Bahar receives the award from Abdulaziz Al-Khuraiji, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Bankers Association in London, and George Kanaan, CEO of the Arab Bankers Association.

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KUWAIT: Dr Ammar Bahman and Dr Nasser Al-Sayegh, 2 Kuwaiti Researchers Patent Device That Could Improve Efficiency of Power Plants

After three years of research during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kuwaiti researchers Ammar Bahman and Nasser Al-Sayegh have come up with an invention that could help reduce energy consumption in power plants.

Bahman is an assistant professor in the department of mechanical engineering at Kuwait University, and Al-Sayegh is an associate research scientist at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research.

Their idea, which has been registered with the U.S. Patent Office, revolves around the creation of a device that can calculate the physical state of nanoparticles dispersed in advanced thermal fluids called nanofluids.

The significance of Bayman and Al-Sayegh’s invention lies in contributing directly to the improvement of thermal systems used in Kuwait for power generation and water desalination. The invention will allow scientists to test the qualities of a nanofluid before offering it as an alternative to the conventional fluids currently used.

The researchers used virtual Internet meetings to continue working together throughout the Covid-19 curfews in Kuwait, moving through stages of clarifying the problem, discussing solutions, describing and illustrating their idea, and sending off the patent for examination.

Practical Benefit of the Invention

Bahman, who obtained a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Purdue University in the United States four years ago, told Al-Fanar Media that his work on this invention came from a desire to find solutions to common problems between different disciplines.

He explained that the invention is based on the scientific and practical benefit of using nanofluids to improve the efficiency of the cooling processes, because nanofluids have higher thermal properties than traditional liquids. Bahman said the invention offers a solution to a problem facing nanofluids, which is that the suspended nanoparticles are prone to settle under the liquid over time. This means that these liquids eventually lose their advanced thermal properties.

The new invention calculates the percentage of a nanofluid that has lost its thermal properties, and the time it takes for the nanofluid to complete the precipitation process. Such calculations are vital to the research and industrial sector, Bahman said, because they allow scientists, companies, and decision-makers to know the sustainability of energy-generation and conservation devices when used with nanofluids.

Al-Sayegh said the real benefit of the invention would be seen at power plants and water desalination plants, because they depend on heat transfer. The patent will allow specific nanofluids to be introduced to increase the plants’ efficiency by reducing the fuel used, thus saving electrical energy consumption, he told Al-Fanar Media.

Al-Sayegh said creating a device capable of characterising the physical state of particles suspended in nanofluids would revolutionise Kuwait’s thermal systems systems in terms of operational efficiency and fuel consumption challenges.

Research Environment in the Arab World

With the Patent Office at Kuwait University, Bahman plans to employ research results in the country’s industrial sector.

He wants to establish an energy centre affiliated with Kuwait University to conduct scientific and experimental research, offer consultations to the public and private sectors, and provide training opportunities for students, technicians, and specialist engineers.

He believes that to encourage innovation, researchers need an appropriate research environment and access to knowledge and human resources.

Bahman also thinks scientific criticism should be included in school curricula, along with the presentation of scientific problems to encourage innovative solutions. This could be achieved through joint scientific programmes with international universities and student exchange programmes, he said.

Current conditions in the Arab world “do not stimulate scientific research,” Bahman said. “The research process requires great focus, effort and time from the researcher, as well as a stable environment for those conducting scientific research. This can only be achieved when there is abundant financial support.”

Al-Sayegh added that he and Bahman were trying to establish a company to market their inventions, and turn them into practical products that serve a large number of people.

source/content: al-fanarmedia.org (for text -headline edited), (pixs: ovpr.ku.edu.kw)

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Kuwait’s Yousef Al Refaie Achieves Guinness World Record as the Youngest to Climb Seven Volcanic Summits on 7 Continents.

Yousef Al Refaie sets the record for reaching the top of the highest volcanoes on each of the seven continents.

A Kuwaiti mountaineer has become the youngest person to climb the world’s Seven Volcanic Summits.

Yousef Al Refaie has set a Guinness World Record for reaching the top of the highest volcanoes on each of the seven continents at 24 years and 119 days.

“[If] you came from the desert, I wouldn’t think you [would] be able to climb the highest mountains,” he said of his feat.

Mr Al Refaie, the 24th person to climb the peaks, began his journey as a tourist on December 30 2015 when he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

He then climbed Russia’s Mount Elbrus on July 18 2017, Mount Giluwe Mountain in Papua New Guinea on July 21 2018, Pico de Orizaba in Mexico on January 6 2019, Iran’s Mount Damavand on August 11 2019, Ojos Del Salado in the Andes on January 15 2020 and Mount Sidley in the Antarctic on December 22 2021.

He said the toughest was the 4,285m dormant Mount Sidley in Antarctica’s Marie Byrd Land, one of the largest uninhabited areas in the world. It took the team seven hours to push from their camp at 3,000m to the crest of the caldera.

He said he had previously attempted to break the record for the fastest climb of the Arabian Peninsula’s highest peaks, but, as with other challengers, he was not allowed to enter Yemen.

Mr Al Refaie now wants to cross the largest deserts in the world, starting with the Empty Quarter in November.

“When I first asked my mum for the Guinness World Records Book as a kid, she told me she would only buy it if I had something amazing to make my way into it,” he said.

“I really don’t know if she meant it that time, but here we are living the dream.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (edited)

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KUWAIT

Kuwait Wins 2 Golds, Silver and Bronze Medals at ISSF World Cup in Cyprus, March 2022

Kuwait National Shooting team won a gold medal in the ISSF World Cup in Cyprus, said Kuwait Shooting Club.

The Kuwaiti team, represented by Talal Al-Terqi, Abdulrahman Al-Faihan and Nasser Al-Muqled, came first in the Trap competition after defeating both India and Poland who came second and third, raising the total number of medals to two golds and one silver, Kuwait Shooting Club’s Chairman Duaij Al- Otaibi said .

Kuwaiti shooter Talal Al-Terqi won also a bronze medal in the singles Trap competition in the same tournament, (KUNA)

source/content: arabtimesonline.com (edited)

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Kuwaiti Brand ‘Marzook’ Fashion Accessories

Shouq Al-Marzooq and Fahad Al-Marzook. Co-Founders Brand ‘Marzook’. Luxury handbags and fashion accessories

Kuwaiti label and FTA Prize 2019 finalist Marzook is best-loved for its bags, with Amal Clooney, Kylie Jenner and Lupita Nyong’o all having been spotted carrying a Marzook bag.

A brand that draws its inspiration from surrealism, Marzook was founded by brother and sister duo Shouq and Fahad Al-Marzook.

The Beirut-based accessories brand was established in 2014. The brother sister duo started off in the fashion industry by designing pieces for their family and friends and quickly went on to garner worldwide attention and sign celebrity collaboration deals

www.marzook.co

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Fahad and Shouq Marzook, shot by Plastik Studios / pix: fashiontrustarabia.com

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KUWAIT / LEBANON