MILAN, Italy, May 2 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Information Minister Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah said Saturday Kuwait's pavilion at Expo Milan 2015, "Challenge of Nature," highlighted challenges facing "our country in providing water, agriculture, food and energy." This theme "tells a story of a dream and reality and the hope of Kuwait, in past and present and future, which were made possible by the people of Kuwait who achieved an advanced genuine development in economic, development, social and cultural domains," said Sheikh Salman in a speech at the opening of the pavilion.
This development mirrored Kuwait's civilized image which was made possible through hard work and dedication, as well as proper use of human and natural resources, exchange of expertise in fields of science and technology for food security, said Sheikh Salman, representing His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
He said Kuwait, named by the UN as "Humanitarian Center," was proud to be present at Expo Milan 2015.
This pavilion, he added, would further cement relations between Kuwait and Italy that were established some 50 years ago.
On behalf of His Highness the Amir sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, also named by the UN as "Humanitarian Leader," and His Highness the Prime Minister, he said, "I convey to you a message of cooperation, of love, of international peace towards achieving objectives of this expo ... ." Kuwait and Italy are bound to close relationship, said Sheikh Salman, citing Italy's participation in the international coalition that liberated Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion in 1991, to His Highness the Amir's visit to Italy in 2010 which resulted in signing of several cooperation agreements, to His Highness the Prime Minister's visit to Italy last year.
Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah, also Minister of State for Youth Affairs, met earlier with Italian, Arab, Kuwaiti and international media at the pavilion, where he underlined importance of the global gathering at Expo Milan 2015 in boosting partnership, cooperation and acquaintance among peoples, "towards preserving the planet and build a better live for mankind." Sheikh Salman congratulated the Italian people for the successful launch of the Expo, which featured participation of 145 countries from around the globe.
"The pavilion of Kuwait ... is a message of friendship and cooperation between the two countries (Kuwait and Italy) who are bound to solid bilateral relations, with trade exchange more than doubled over the past five years, coupled with growth of cooperation in other sectors," he said.
Sheikh Salman hoped the Expo would contribute to global peace, cooperation and development, as well as "supporting ability of people to provide food and honoring their needs." The Information Minister, in his answers to reporters' questions, highlighted Kuwait's role in alleviating suffering of the Syrian people by hosting three international donor conferences to help the needy Syrians.
Sheikh Salman said Kuwait's humanitarian endeavors "has no political ... agendas." On the pavilion, Sheikh Salman said Kuwait has a long history with the sea water desalination, and the theme "Challenge of Nature" explained how Kuwait expanded from a limited way of providing fresh water to sophisticated methods.
Water, agriculture and energy are the biggest challenges that Kuwait is facing to ensure a better quality of life aligned with sustainability.
Drinking water is a vital resource for Kuwait, being located at the junction between the Arabian Peninsula and Asia, with its geographical and environmental conditions that are characterized by arid soil and climate.
In 1953, Kuwait built the first desalination plant in the world based on multi-stage flash (MSF) technology and now has seven plants producing 1.85 billion liters of water a day. The treatment plant at Sulaibiyah, on the other hand, purifies 600,000 cubic meters of waste water, per day.
Agriculture is being developed mainly in three regions, focusing on the cultivation of palms and potatoes.
Through the promotion of educational campaigns and other initiatives of various kinds, Kuwait is heavily involved in the field of food education.
For its Energy, the third challenge, Kuwait is engaged in the pursuit of natural oil substitutes - solar and wind.
Participation at Expo Milan 2015 provides an opportunity to acquaint visitors with the 2,790 square-meter pavilion, with both its big projects in these three areas and the results achieved through humanitarian contributions and international cooperation in transport, agriculture, water, irrigation, telecommunications, education and health.
Sheikh Salman, meanwhile, said Kuwait would join hands with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) when Dubai hosted the Expo in 2020.
The UAE's success "is a success for us and for our brothers in the Gulf countries and entire region, he said.
Meanwhile, Stefano Gatti, Director General of the Participants Division of Expo 2015, expressed admiration for the pavilion's spectacular portrayal of the rich and beautiful State of Kuwait.
The Gulf State plays a very important role on the geopolitical arena and offered generous contributions to the relief efforts for the victims of conflicts around the globe particularly in Syria, he said, recalling his personal experience in the humanitarian action.
Kuwait proved to be the most active and effective player in helping and alleviating the suffering of the needy people; its praiseworthy role in this connection is clear in the assistance offered on a daily basis to the Syrian refugees in Jordan, he pointed out.
On the Kuwaiti pavilion, Gatti said it is one of the most beautiful and most attractive pavilions that contributed to the impressive opening of this global Expo yesterday despite the heavy rains.
He commended the organizers of the Kuwaiti pavilion for their coordination and cooperation with his committee over the last months.
In the same vein, Italian Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies Maurizio Martina said one of the distinctive features in Kuwait's pavilion is its successful harmonization with the hi-tech applications.
Minister Martina, who opened, together with Sheikh Salman, the pavilion earlier today, said the Expo offers an ample opportunity for Kuwait and Italy to share experience in such areas as agriculture, food production and technology.
He noted that Kuwait has a long experience in the field of taming nature and farming in dry and desert land.
Minister Martina said the deliberations during the Expo are expected to culminate into the Milano document which will, hopefully, integrate with the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and be adopted as agenda for the international community.
He lauded the exemplary and cordial ties between Italy and Kuwait and appreciated Kuwait's strong presence at the Expo, noting that Kuwait's participation contributed to the rapturous opening and success of the Expo.
The theme of the pavilion, "Challenge of Nature," reflects a strong political will on the part of the Kuwaiti leadership, under His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to contribute to addressing the issue of climate change, the minister added.
Later on Sheikh Salman launched the website of Kuwait Pavilion in the presence of Ambassador to Italy Sheikh Ali Khaled Al-Sabah, Director of the Economic Department of the Foreign Ministry Ambassador Adel Al-Ayar, KUNA's Board Chairman and Director General Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij Al-Sabah, Chairman and Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and Ports (PAYS) Sheikh Ahmad Mansour Al-Sabah.
The ceremony was also attended by Consul General in Milan Abdulnasser Bu Khadour, as well as heads of the delegations of the participating institutions, the media delegation including editors-in-chief of the Kuwaiti dailies, and commissioners general of the Gulf and Arab states for the Expo. (pickup previous) mn.mdm.gb