KUWAIT: Minister of Information and Culture Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi announced the winners of the State Appreciation and Encouragement Awards for 2024 in the fields of arts, literature, and social and human sciences.
In a statement Wednesday, Al-Mutairi, who is also Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters said the awards reflect the Kuwait’s commitment to honoring its creative individuals across various fields, in recognition of their exceptional contributions and their leadership role in elevating Kuwait’s name. He expressed his hope that the awardees would serve as role models for future generations.
He also thanked the winners for their achievements and contributions, which have enriched the cultural, artistic, and scientific movements in the country, and for the efforts of the Supreme Committee in selecting the awardees. He emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to encourage more creativity and innovation in service of national culture.
The 2024 State Appreciation Awards were granted to: Dr Moudi Al-Humoud in the field of social services, for her significant and distinguished contributions to academic life and her prominent role in the educational journey. Al-Humoud is currently Chair of the Founding Administrative Board at Abdullah Al-Salem University in Kuwait and she is a professor of management at the College of Business Administration, Kuwait University. She previously served as the Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education in Kuwait and also held the positions of Minister of State for Housing and Minister of Planning.
Khaled Al-Obaid in the field of arts, in recognition of his pioneering contributions to the artistic and theatrical movement in Kuwait. The prominent actor made his debut in 1963 through theater and went on to work across theater, television, and cinema, contributing to dozens of productions.
Sanaa Al-Kharraz in the field of cultural services, for her prominent role in preserving and enhancing national memory. The Kuwaiti singer made her debut in 1977, performing national songs and operettas for Kuwait, and became widely known for her performances in this genre throughout her career. The 2024 State Encouragement Awards were granted to several writers and artists, including Artist Zahra Jassem for visual and applied arts (painting). Actor Hussein Al-Haddad for his achievements in television acting.
In literature, Poet Mohamed Sarkhouh won the poetry award, while Humoud Al-Shayji was awarded the novel prize. Basima Al-Wazzan received the Children’s Literature Award, and Dr Abbas Al-Haddad won the award for linguistic, literary, and critical studies. In the social and human sciences, Nader Al-Azmi was awarded the prize for history and archaeology.
The awards committee withheld several awards this year, including the Stage Direction Award in the arts, the Arab Heritage Achievement Award in literature, and the Historical and Archaeological Studies Award for Kuwait in the social and human sciences. Additionally, no participants were nominated for the Critical Studies Award in Visual Arts, the Critical Studies Award in Music Arts, or the Philosophy Award.
The announcement followed the approval of the results by the Supreme Awards Committee, which is an independent panel composed of prominent cultural, literary, and scientific figures, working in accordance with the award’s regulatory guidelines as per Ministerial Decision No 46 of 2016 and its amendments. — Agencies
