Embracing Culture & Media as Arab Capital 2025

When a country gets named Arab Capital of Culture and Media, it’s a big deal.It means a chance to think, create, and connect. Kuwait will receive that honor in 2025, picked by ALECSO and the Council of Arab Ministers of Information. And Kuwait’s already planning: for the year, they’re planning to welcome artists, media, culture, and innovators from around the Arab region. This piece looks at Kuwait’s plans, goals, challenges, and what this year could mean for both the country and Arab culture and media in general.

Titles like these give us direction, make things clearer, and show us what to expect. For Kuwait, being named both Capital of Arab Culture and Capital of Arab Media shows that creative and intellectual fields are a major part of their identity. It credits Kuwait’s work in theater, news, art events, and literature and also means there’s a need to support cultural voices, increase media freedom, and combine tradition with new thinking.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Information and the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL) are working on their 2021–2026 and 2023–2028 plans to grow culture and boost creativity.

They have planned about 98 cultural events over 235 days. These events include the Qurain Cultural Festival, the Arab Children’s Theatre Festival, and the International Music Festival. Media programs, like the Kuwait Grand Media Award, are included. The opening ceremony happened on February 13, 2025, and presented The Earth’s Orbit, a theater show. This event started a year of celebration. Kuwait needs to balance cultural freedom with rules, get its institutions working together, make sure regular people can get involved, and keep things moving after 2025. The real question is whether this year will help grow the cultural scene and support local artists for years to come.

In 2025, artists, writers, and performers can find places to get noticed, work together, and get funding. People can expect a lot of different events, shows, and media. Students and young artists can join international workshops, cultural trips, and learning chances.

To turn Kuwait into a real cultural center, it should update its media regulations, make sure everyone can enjoy cultural events, support artists and creators, and develop strong cultural institutions that will last. Being named the Arab Capital of Culture and Media for 2025 is a huge honor for Kuwait. We can celebrate our heritage, help our artists, make our media better, and get everyone excited. If we play our cards right, 2025 could really transform Kuwait’s cultural scene and have a lasting impact on the Arab world. This year is Kuwait’s moment to shine and make a statement, one that people will remember long after 2025.