ALEXANDER THE GREAT IN KUWAIT
THE ARTISTIC WORK OF WARLAMIS BECOMES A BRIDGE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GREECE AND THE EAST.
On the initiative of the Ambassador of Greece to Kuwait, Mr. Constantinos Piperigou, it was inaugurated at the Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) Cultural Center in Kuwait City, under the auspices of the Embassy, by the Minister of Development and Investments, Mr. Adonis Georgiadis, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Con. Fragogiannis, Makis Warlamis’ impressive exhibition about Alexander the Great with 79 paintings and sculptures.
Kuwait was represented by A.E. the Minister of Trade & Industry Mr. Mazen Al Nahed. Presented, among others, Ambassadors accredited to Kuwait, Professors Dr. Abdulach Al Ajmi and Dr. Abdulhach Alhargi from the Faculty of Philosophy of the National University of Kuwait, Professor Ms. Anastasiadis, President of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Athens, Professor Univ. Glavinis Dean of the Faculty of Law of Athens University, prominent businessmen, political figures, collectors and people of art and a crowd of people.
This Exhibition is an artistic activity, which strengthens the understanding between the two countries on multiple levels and broadens the perspectives of bilateral cooperation. Alexander the Great returns, after 24 centuries, to the region of Kuwait, where, as Arrian and other ancient historians wrote, he planned to exploit the special characteristics of the place and the neighboring island of Failaka (the word means Outpost, while the name he gave Alexander on the island was “Icarus”) created the naval station, from where Nearchus of Amphipolis prepared the fleet to circumnavigate Arabia and Africa.
The Greek Ministers visited Kuwait for meetings with the Minister of Trade and Industry of Kuwait Mazin Saad Ali AL-Nahedh, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi and the Deputy Minister of Finance Ms. Aseel Al-Saad Al Minifi. In addition, they had private meetings with distinguished businessmen, etc. Amer Huneidi, owner of CAP, Bader Al Kharafi and Fouad Al-Ghanim. As part of their visit here, they also visited the National University of Kuwait.
At the opening of the exhibition, the ambassador Mr. Konstantinos Piperigos also made a very important announcement, the start of direct flights between Athens and Kuwait from next June.
The surprise of the evening was the voice of the internationally famous Greek singer Alexandra Gravas who enchanted all the guests with her voice.
The official announcement of the Exhibition by the Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Kuwait was shown by all the television channels and media of Kuwait and the wider Arab Gulf while it is constantly reproduced by social networks. According to the political University and business world, it was one of the biggest events organized by a foreign embassy in Kuwait.
The entire organization was a collaboration between the Greek Embassy, the Austrian Art Museum and the Vergina Experimental Workshop representing the work of the late Warlamis worldwide, the National University of Kuwait and the Contemporary Art Platform (CAP).
At the photos:
1 & 2. The internationally renowned Greek mezzo-soprano Alexandra Gravas moved the visitors at the opening of the exhibition with her beautiful songs that echo the cosmopolitan spirit of Alexander.
- Mr. Pavlos Trohopoulos guides the Greek ministers to the Exhibition.
- The Waiter in the traditional uniform welcomes and offers Arabic coffee to the guests.
- The authors of the exhibition: from left, the owner of CAP Amer Huneidi, the Ambassador of Greece in Kuwait Konstantinos Piperigos and Asteris Nenos & Pavlos Trohopoulos from the Vergina Experimental Laboratory.
- From the left on the panel, Ambassador Constantinos Piperigos, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts of the National University of Kuwait Dr. Abdulach Al Ajmi, Professor Hassan Badawy who translated from Greek to Arabic and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Kon. Fragogiannis.
7,8,9,10. From the Exhibition area.