KUWAIT: In line with its unwavering commitment to bringing the dreams of ill children to reality, National Bank of Kuwait helped Asrar, one of NBK Children’s Hospital patients, make her dream come true. This came as part of the bank’s humanitarian initiative “I Dream to Be”, in its thirteenth consecutive year, which is an embodiment of NBK’s values of supporting children and giving them hope and strength to face the challenges of illness.

Eleven-year-old Asrar has always dreamt of becoming a pediatrician to help children with their treatment journey and meet the inspirational figure in this field Dr Ahmed Al-Awadhi, the Minister of Health, to which the Public Relations Department at NBK reached out. Minister Al-Awadhi welcomed the idea and offered his full support to make Asrar’s dream fulfilled.

In an inspiring move, Asrar lived out part of her future dream at the Maternity and Children’s Hospital, where she played the role of a doctor and aided patients, which gave her experience further depth and humanity. This initiative underscores the importance of psychological and moral support for ill children and highlights NBK’s belief that their dreams are as important as their treatment. The bank is proud of this initiative, which helps put a smile on children’s faces and gives them the strength to continue battling their challenges.

On this occasion, Joanne Al-Abdul Jaleel, Assistant Vice President, Public Relations and Event Management at NBK said: “At NBK, we believe that every child deserves to live their dream, and this initiative is a living embodiment of our social responsibility towards our children and community. Over the past 13 years, we have fulfilled the dreams of many children, and we continue to aspire to fulfill the dreams of even more, because our responsibility towards them is to make them happy and help them live the beautiful life they deserve”.

Al-Abdul Jaleel added: “Seeing Asrar live her dream of becoming a pediatrician amid her family’s joy pushes us further to carry on with this noble initiative. Our contribution is not solely financial, especially in the field of children medical treatment, as we strive to put all our efforts into achieving their dreams and making them happy enough to have hope as they go through this adversity”. Al-Abdul Jaleel also emphasized that NBK stands as a role model in the field of social responsibility as evident in its constant contributions to medical services, activities, and initiatives aimed at further developing the healthcare system at NBK Children’s Hospital.

It should be noted that NBK is undertaking this initiative in collaboration with specialized childcare institutions in Kuwait, most notably NBK Hospital, Bayt Abdullah, and the Children’s Hospital Care Association (CACH), which specializes in caring for children with chronic illnesses in government hospitals. NBK is also proud of a long record of pioneering humanitarian and social initiatives, as it seeks to provide various forms of support for children, in addition to regularly arranging visits to humanitarian organizations that care for children, with the aim of fostering a culture of community service and enhancing awareness of social responsibility.

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Women’s Hopes Association, in collaboration with the Center for Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies at Kuwait University, organized a scientific forum on Wednesday titled “Women between Rights and Belonging: Legal, Social, Sharia and Educational Dimensions.” The forum, attended by academics and specialists, examined various issues concerning Kuwaiti women and explored solutions to enhance their societal and legal standing.

Chairperson of the association, Wedad Al-Mishaal, told KUNA that the forum aims to propose solutions and recommendations for women’s issues by engaging experts across legal, social, Sharia and educational fields. She highlighted legislative achievements benefiting Kuwaiti women, while emphasizing that many challenges require collective efforts to develop comprehensive and sustainable solutions.

Al-Mishaal stressed that the association focuses on all Kuwaiti women — married, widowed, divorced, or single — ensuring their civil, social, and legal needs are addressed to maintain family and societal stability. She underscored the importance of partnerships between state institutions, civil society, and academic circles to promote social justice and enhance women’s role in national development. Established in 2023 as a civil development association, the organization has sought to highlight women’s issues and strengthen their presence in the public sphere.

Acting Director of the Center for Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies, Dr Yaqoub Al-Kandari

President and Founder of the Kuwaiti Woman’s Hopes Association, Wedad Al-Mishaal

Acting Director of the Center for Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies, Dr Yaqoub Al-Kandari, said the forum reflects the center’s ongoing commitment to cooperating with civil society to serve national priorities. He noted that the one-day event consisted of two main sessions: the first addressed constitutional and legal matters concerning women, while the second focused on social, psychological and educational dimensions, featuring contributions from leading scholars in the field.

Al-Kandari explained that attention to women’s issues is a central focus of the center’s work, which aims to produce research and studies that inform strategic visions for women’s empowerment and increased participation in public life. He added that the forum would conclude with a set of scientific and practical recommendations to be submitted to relevant authorities to support policies enhancing Kuwaiti women’s societal and professional roles.

The Kuwaiti Women’s Hopes Association, founded in 2023, works to empower women and strengthen their role in sustainable development by promoting the efficient use of skills and qualifications, raising awareness of civil and constitutional rights, following up on family and social issues, advocating for legislative improvements, and organizing cultural and social initiatives that consolidate women’s position in society. — KUNA

By Hussain Sana

Physical matter is in a constant state of change – and so is the world of media and journalism. Working in media in 2025 means navigating a transitional era where adaptability and flexibility have become invaluable skills. According to the World Economic Forum, agility, flexibility and technological literacy ranked among the most in-demand skills in its Future of Jobs reports over the past several years.

While “traditional” journalism skills remain essential, new skills have emerged in the age of social media. The journalism industry, both locally and globally, has long faced decline. Yet the rise of social media platforms opened a new window of opportunity for newspapers to stage a comeback. This, in many ways, is the story of Kuwait Times – a print newspaper established in 1961 that has also become a relatable news source for Gen Z and Gen Alpha on TikTok today.

Social media has been both medicine and poison for journalism. On the one hand, these platforms created new advertising markets, giving newspapers and media outlets the financial means to sustain themselves and employ journalists – sometimes under new titles like “content creators”. On the other hand, these platforms are managed by corporations driven by profit, shaping a content playbook that tends to be shallow, fast-paced and entertaining rather than informative or useful. Viral content often succeeds not because of its value, but because it fits algorithmic preferences set by companies like X, Meta, Google and ByteDance.

To bridge the gap between traditional journalism and today’s social media, creators are advised to adapt: Be brief. Be entertaining. Sometimes even be shallow. Content performs “better” online when it fits into short, templated scripts — opening with a strong hook, closing with a call to action — and all within 30 to 60 seconds. Complex topics, themes and issues are often reduced or reshaped to match mass behavior and encourage engagement, interaction and sharing.

Another challenge shaping this landscape is Big Data. A handful of corporations have amassed unprecedented amounts of information about billions of users and their behaviors. This has raised concerns at the level of national security, with countries banning certain platforms or attempting to create local alternatives.

This outlook may seem critical, even negative, but it reflects the reality in which Kuwait Times and its alter ego, Kuwait News, now operate. We are working in an era defined by the Fourth Industrial Revolution – by digital sociology, by the rise of data science driven by Big Data, and by artificial intelligence born from machine learning. It is an age where capitalism and technology intersect in ways that reshape society.

This is the context in which we continue to build the legacy of Kuwait Times and Kuwait News – until the day we proudly pass these institutions to the next generation, who will face new challenges of their own.