Bringing the best of America to Kuwait
Iam thrilled to be launching the fourth annual Discover America Week, which kicked off Sunday. Between Oct 23 and Nov 3, the Embassy will present events highlighting the best of the United States, including music, film, food, sports, automobiles, education and tourism. There will be special offers at American restaurants and stores around town, live performances from Raptor, a US Air Force band, a screening of a classic and very popular cowboy movie remake, and business seminars highlighting new areas for partnership between our two countries.
One focus of Discover America Week is education. Kuwaitis have been studying in the United States for over five generations. Last year some 15,000 Kuwaitis studied in my country, double the number from just a few years ago. We welcome Kuwaiti students. During my time in Kuwait, I hope that number will increase. And I hope more students and professors from the United States will come to Kuwait to increase the number and depth of academic and research partnerships between our two countries. During Discover America Week, we will organize a seminar to highlight what students and their parents need to know before studying in the United States, so that they can make the most of their experience.
Healthcare is another area of potential growth between the United States and Kuwait, and of personal interest for me. As Kuwait looks to improve its healthcare system, we will encourage US hospitals to increase and expand partnerships here. We will have a seminar during the week focused on healthcare connections.
Driving down the highways and neighborhood streets of this city admiring all the new and classic American cars, I was not surprised to learn that the automotive sector represents a third of US exports to this country. Did you know that some of the first international American auto dealerships were established in Kuwait? Jeep is celebrating its 75th anniversary and will be introducing a few new models during Discover America.
Boeing, the iconic aircraft company is celebrating its 100th birthday this year and just introduced in Seattle the first of 10 new 777 airplanes that it will deliver to Kuwait Airways beginning in just a few weeks. They are looking to bring hundreds of jobs to this country in the coming years. Another well-known US company, Sheraton, is celebrating its 50th year in Kuwait. Last week, GE opened the Kuwait Technology Center, the first of its kind in this part of the world. It will provide cutting-edge innovation and research, specialized training, and service and maintenance throughout the region. This center is proof that technology knows no borders.
The relationship between the United States and Kuwait is stronger than ever. The number of Kuwaitis visiting the United States is at an all-time high. During Discover America Week, we will highlight some of the many destinations that even intrepid Kuwaiti travelers have not yet discovered. There will also be a raffle for a free air ticket to the United States.
I encourage you to follow us on Instagram and Twitter at USEmbassyQ8 and on the hashtag #DiscoverAmericaKWT to review the complete Discover America program and to participate in the events that interest you. These events are a great opportunity to put a spotlight on the strong USKuwaiti friendship, and explore areas to broaden and deepen this relationship. I hope to see you at our Discover America events.