By Mahdi Al-Nimr
MILAN, Italy, May 3 (KUNA) -- Representatives of various Kuwaiti ministries and institutions taking part in Expo Milan 2015 have expressed deep satisfaction at the eye-catching inauguration of the Kuwaiti pavilion by Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah, the Representative of Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, on Saturday.
Sheikh Salman, the State of Kuwait's Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, opened the national section on Saturday, noting that it depicts challenges facing Kuwait and tells the Kuwaiti people's story of success at various levels.
Interviewed by KUNA, the Undersecretary of Public Works, Awatef Al-Ghnem, said contents of the pavilion portray Kuwait's experience of coping with water scarcity, securing water for drinking, irrigation as well its success in establishing water sewage and treatment networks and plants.
The Ministry of Public Works, since the 80s, has been treating sewage water for irrigating greenery, planted public spots, including road sides and man-mad ponds and lakes.
Mohammad Hajji Boukhaddour, the Electricity and Water Undersecretary, head of the technical committee of the steering committee supervising the promotional activity, underlined that the ministry had first proposed the idea of highlighting the water theme at the international event.
The State of Kuwait, Boukhaddour said, has not surrendered to the realistic situation, the water shortage, "and has challenged the nature, rendering it the theme for its participation in this grand exhibition.
"Since the 40s of the past century, Kuwait has worked for desalinating sea water with employment of state-of-art technology on a commercial wide scale, for the first time in history of world, thus achieving huge strategic reserves; the pavilion promotes such success." For his part, Ghanem Abdulwahab Al-Sanad, the director of agricultural guidance at the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries, indicated that his department is also involved in the activity, with such themes nutrition, agriculture and food production.
The Kuwaiti pavilion displays alternative agricultural techniques, sewage water treatment and soil-free hydroponic garndening.
Dr. Mohammad Fahad Al-Rashed, the executive director of water research at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), member of the pavilion's steering committee, affirmed that the national display section is distinguished from pavilions of other participating nations, with features such as employment of environment friendly and recyclable materials; some of the exhibition key axes. He praised young Kuwaiti researchers and scientists who took part in planning and execution this grandiose project.
For his part, Mohammad Al-Asousi, Assistant Secretary General of the National Council of Culture, Arts and Letters, shed light on the council's contributions, displaying an array of formative-art works, publications, books and booklets, contents of which provide a glimpse to the visitors about the Gulf country at diverse levels.
Participation in the international event, he said, provides an opportunity for cultural interaction at the universal level, noting involvement of up to 145 states. This is an opportunity to publicize the State of Kuwait, shed light on its contributions to mankind's civilization that have prompted the United Nations to crown it as a "Humanitarian Center," in addition to proclaiming His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as a "Humanitarian Leader." Tareq Al-Mezrem, the Information Undersecretary, voiced satisfaction at turn-up of thousands of visitors to the Kuwaiti pavilion. "This promising success is fruit of marathon collective work where many public and private authorities took part for sake of promoting the message of Kuwait high at such international quarters," he said, thanking His Highness the Amir and the information minister for their encouragement in this respect. (end) mn.rk