RIYADH: The Korean Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Korea have officially selected Manal Al-Gharabally, Founder and CEO of MBVISION Studios, to represent Kuwait’s creative sector at the K-Content Expo held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She was invited to explore the latest innovations in gaming, animation and K-pop production.

The invitation came in recognition of MBVISION Studios as the first independent animation studio in Kuwait specializing in animation production and education, video games design, and integrated creative production since 2009. The visit included a high-profile signing ceremony on Thursday, July 24, 2025. During the event, Manal Al-Gharabally signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with both established and emerging Korean companies across four key sectors.

In the video games sector, the two parties signed an agreement which includes the production, training, distribution, and education in both traditional and AI-driven game development, through a global ecosystem that connects learners with independent developers and international trainers.

They also signed an agreement in the field of Intellectual Property (IP), which outlines terms for the licensing, leasing, and exchange of commercial IP rights between South Korea and Kuwait, including exporting Kuwaiti characters and importing South Korean ones to the Gulf market. The two parties also signed an MoU in the field of K-Dramas to localize, distribute, and culturally adapt South Korean family and content for children. In the field of interactive and smart art performances the two parties signed an agreement to develop immersive, technology-driven artistic experiences and exhibitions.

The MoUs were signed with several companies, including Nonsense, for the exclusive licensing of educational content for children; Something Special, for the localization and distribution of Korean family dramas; Gwan Global, an award-winning startup specializing in both traditional and AI-powered game development; and Character Inc., to exchange and co-produce character IP between South Korea and Kuwait and organize interactive art exhibitions.

Several additional MoUs will be signed at a later date. These include partnerships in educational board games, immersive performance experiences, and the licensing of Kuwaiti characters for the South Korean market, with further discussions planned in the next phase.

This collaboration represents a strategic milestone in enhancing cultural and creative exchange between South Korea and Kuwait, showcasing the growing interest of South Korean companies in Gulf-based character IPs. A selected group of Kuwaiti and South Korean cartoon characters is currently undergoing artistic review, paving the way for future joint productions to be presented in Kuwait, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.

Seungchan Lee, organizer of the K-Content Expo in Saudi Arabia, expressed her sincere appreciation for the joint collaboration between South Korean companies and their Kuwaiti partner. She highlighted the significance of this initiative in building sustainable cultural and commercial bridges between the two countries, and expressed her hope to see the outcomes of this partnership realized on the ground very soon.

Manal Al-Gharabally stated: “Our business relationship with private sector companies in South Korea and MBVISION Studios has been ongoing since 2018. Over the years, we’ve collaborated with Korean clients on multiple media and creative campaigns targeting both the Middle East and local markets. Today marks a new chapter transitioning from service based collaborations to strategic partnerships focused on cultural, media, and commercial exchange across the region.”

She added that this collaboration under the auspices of KOCCA and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea represents a strategic milestone in promoting national identity and exporting local culture to global markets.

She emphasized that South Korean companies have shown a strong interest in licensing original Kuwaiti and Gulf characters, while also exploring ways to introduce Korean characters to the region through mutual cultural exchange. As part of this initiative, three original characters created by MBVISION Studios have been selected for global distribution in the fields of gaming, media production, and interactive art experiences, alongside three South Korean characters designated for promotion in the Middle East. Discussions are currently underway to further expand this artistic and cultural exchange, with several collaborative projects already planned to launch from Kuwait and Riyadh.

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health, represented by the Kuwait Centers for Disease Control, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET), has launched a four-day Emergency Preparedness and Response Capacity Assessment Workshop in Kuwait City.

The workshop marks a foundational step toward establishing a national Rapid Response Team (RRT) Management Program, aimed at ensuring timely and effective responses to public health emergencies. Rapid Response Teams are multidisciplinary units trained for swift deployment to investigate and respond to disease outbreaks and other public health threats.

The workshop brings together 20–25 professionals from across the public health system, including representatives from the MOH Public Health Administration, regional preventive medicine focal points, Central Medical Stores, Emergency Medical Services, laboratories, local emergency departments and environmental health. Additional participation includes the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition and the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources.

Through group exercises and technical discussions participants will assess national capacity across critical areas such as coordination, surge operations, risk communication, information and resource management and emergency field deployment.

The outcomes of the workshop will guide the development of a national roadmap and initial workplan for institutionalizing a sustainable and effective RRT program. Future phases will include specialized training in RRT management to enhance national emergency preparedness and ensure a rapid, coordinated response to public health threats.

 SHENZHEN, China:  Acting Director General of Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Mohammad Al-Mannai, visited Sunday the headquarters of Chinese tech giant Huawei in Shenzhen during his official trip to China.

The visit aligns with KUNA’s efforts to integrate digital solutions and adopt new technologies to enhance media content production.

During the visit, Al-Mannai met with Huawei’s Deputy CEO for the Northern Gulf Dai Xing, to explore cooperation in digital infrastructure, media tools, and training programs aimed at enhancing KUNA’s editorial and technical team capabilities.

(KUNA) Acting Director General, Acting Editor-in-Chief and Director of Marketing and Public Relations visit Huawei headquarters. — KUNA

Scene from (KUNA) delegation visit to Huawei headquarters.— KUNS

Al-Mannai emphasized the importance of collaborating with leading tech companies like Huawei to boost media capabilities through digital innovation, highlighting the urgent need to adopt advanced digital technologies that are transforming data analysis and audience engagement.

Al-Mannai and his delegation toured Huawei’s exhibitions, and Research, and Development (R&D) Center, where they were introduced to the latest innovations in automation and digital media solutions.

The visit was held on the sidelines of KUNA’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media and Think Tank Forum, held in Zhengzhou, China. The delegation includes Acting Editor-in-Chief Mohammad Al-Bahar and Director of Marketing and Public Relations Lamia Al-Farsi.— KUNA