Kuwait city: Today marks several significant events in Kuwait's history, spanning from the early 20th century to recent developments. These events showcase Kuwait's progress and achievements across various fields, such as governance, sports, and technology.
According to Kuwait News Agency, one of the notable historical events was in 1900 when Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah, also known as Mubarak Al-Kabeer, ordered the hoisting of a red flag with the word "Kuwait" in white, which remained in use until November 1961. In 1933, the founding of Kuwait's first electricity company, Kuwait Electricity Company, marked a pivotal moment in the nation's development, operating until 1951.
In 1959, a decree was issued defining Kuwaiti nationals as those residing in the country since or before 1920, the year the Kuwait Fence was constructed. In 1965, the nation mourned the passing of Abdullah Abdullatif Al-Othman at the age of 68. Al-Othman was a renowned pearl merchant, teacher, philanthropist, and head of the municipality from 1943 to 1945.
In 1966, a significant political development occurred when Kuwait's Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah signed a decree establishing 10 constituencies for parliamentary elections, with each electing five MPs. Fast forward to 2006, Kuwait's national handball team secured the gold medal at the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, defeating the hosts 27-24.
In 2009, Kuwait witnessed a major regional collaboration as Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah inaugurated the 30th GCC summit at Bayan Palace, launching the Gulf power grid. The following year, a decree was signed by the Amir to waive custom duties on industrial facilities within GCC states.
In the medical field, 2012 saw Dr. Khaled Al-Sabti conduct five eye surgeries using new technology to eliminate white water from the eye, a first in Kuwait. The sports arena celebrated again in 2018 when Kuwait's fencing team won the Arab championship in Tunisia.
In 2019, Faisal Al-Atel from the Kuwait Society of Engineers was elected chairman of the federation of Arab engineers during the 75th session in Jordan, with representatives from 18 Arab engineering federations and societies participating.
The political landscape saw another change in 2020 when an Amiri decree formed the country's 37th cabinet under the leadership of Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. In 2021, the Kuwait Army announced the arrival of two Eurofighter Typhoon jets to join the air force at Ali Al-Salem Airbase.