Extra funding to Sheikh Salem chair at Georgetown University
Kuwait signs agreement with CCAS
WASHINGTON, Dec 1, (KUNA): The State of Kuwait assigns great importance to education and research centers, and exerts much effort and makes many initiatives through such institutions that are aimed at bridging the gaps and correcting misunderstandings that exist between the Arab world and the US, Kuwaiti Ambassador to the US Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah said.
The ambassador had the remark upon delivering the amount of USD two million to Georgetown University to supplement Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah Chair at the University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS).
The government of Kuwait has signed an agreement with CCAS in Kuwait back in October to supplement its existing chair, first established in 1980.
The Al-Sabah chair supports a distinguished scholar and expert in the political economy of the Gulf. Georgetown University officials say they hope to fill the chair as soon as possible.
In a ceremony held at Georgetown University on this occasion, Ambassador Al-Sabah said that one of the challenges he always faces “is the misconceptions that exist about the Arab world in general in the US, and I am always shocked by the lack of information out there on our region.”
“We are very proud to be here today and look forward to meeting whoever is selected to be in that chair,” he added, hoping that whoever fills that chair “will do their part in spreading the information that should be made available about our region.”
“We look forward to a prosperous relationship and to continue to push forward this relationship.” For his part, Georgetown University President, Dr John DeGioia stressed “the depth of commitment on the part of our university to ensure that our understanding, our knowledge, our engagement in the Gulf compliments our effort to understand in broader ways the dynamics that are shaping our world today.” He highlighted the “long-standing partnership” with the people of Kuwait, going back to 1980 when Kuwait made its first contribution to the prestigious university. In 1980, “we received a beautiful gift that enabled us to launch some work in our center within the School of Foreign Service (SFS) and what we acknowledge today is even a deeper commitment that the ambassador has made through the government of Kuwait to support our work,” Dr DeGioia remarked.
It is “a particular pleasure for me to be with the ambassador, to have this opportunity to be together, and to be able to celebrate this moment in the life of our university and the life of our respective nations ... This is a great moment for our University,” Dr DeGioia said. SFS Dean Carol Lancaster on her part thanked the ambassador and Kuwaiti government. “‘Shukran jazeelan’ doesn’t capture our sense of gratitude for the generosity of the Kuwaiti government,” she said.
She also stressed that “this is an opportunity to learn and to teach and to help others understand the realities and the opportunities in all of our relationships.” “This is a wonderful opportunity; we look forward to filling the chair, and I look forward to continuing to work with you and all your colleagues in Kuwait,” she remarked.
Director of the Kuwait Cultural Office in Washington, DC Dr Abdulaziz Al-Omar expressed hope that through the chair, “we will be able to further enhance the exchanges and the relationships and enhance the number of students we can provide to a leading institution such as Georgetown University.”