VZCZCXRO7723
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKU #5140/01 3501124
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161124Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2170
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 005140 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ECA (DPOWELL), NEA/PPD (AFERNANDEZ, CWHITTLESEY), IIP/G/NEA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OEXC KPAO SCUL OIIP XF KU
SUBJECT: THE HIGH IMPACT OF CULTURAL AND SPORTS PROGRAMS 
 
REF: A) STATE 222516 
     B) KUWAIT 4993 
     C) KUWAIT 4550 
     D) KUWAIT 4443 
     E) KUWAIT 4127 
     F) KUWAIT 2996 
     G) KUWAIT 1147 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  EMBASSY KUWAIT'S CULTURAL AND SPORTS OUTREACH 
EFFORTS HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN REACHING NEW AND DIVERSE 
AUDIENCES OF YOUNG KUWAITIS.  SPORTS PROGRAMS SERVE AS A 
SUPERB TOOL WITH WHICH TO REACH YOUNG KUWAITI MALES, A KEY 
DEMOGRAPHIC IN THE STRUGGLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS, AS WELL AS 
YOUNG KUWAITI FEMALES.  THE MISSION'S THREE SPORTS PROGRAMS 
CONDUCTED IN 2004-2005 RESULTED IN A HIGH POSITIVE IMPACT BY 
CHANGING PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS ABOUT AMERICAN SOCIETY AND 
VALUES THROUGH SHARING THE COMMON AMERICAN AND KUWAITI 
VALUES OF OPEN COMPETITION AND TEAMWORK.  CULTURAL EVENTS 
SUCH AS MUSICAL GROUPS AND ART EXHIBITS ALSO HAVE ACHIEVED 
HIGH IMPACT RESULTS WITH DIVERSE AUDIENCES, FROM THE LIBERAL 
AND CONSERVATIVE SIDES OF KUWAITI SOCIETY.  THIS CABLE 
INCLUDES SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING RECOMMENDATIONS IN PARAGRAPHS 
10-15.   END SUMMARY. 
 
A SLAM-DUNK: SPORTS OUTREACH TO YOUNG KUWAITIS 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2.  THE MISSION HAS SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED THREE HIGH- 
PROFILE BASKETBALL PROGRAMS THAT ALLOWED US TO DIRECTLY 
REACH, IN TOTAL, MORE THAN 400 YOUNG KUWAITIS (REFTELS E AND 
F).  IN DECEMBER, 2004, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION 
IMPLEMENTED A CULTURE CONNECT ENVOY PROGRAM FEATURING TWO 
FORMER GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL PLAYERS, OMARI 
FAULKNER AND COURTLAND FREEMAN.  THE SECOND HIGH-PROFILE 
SPORTS EVENT WAS A WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME BETWEEN THE 
KUWAITI WOMEN'S SPORTS CLUB AL-FATAT AND A TEAM OF AMERICAN 
FEMALE SOLDIERS FROM CAMP ARIFJAN.  EMBASSY PUBLIC AFFAIRS 
ORGANIZED THE EVENT AND RECEIVED POSITIVE PRESS COVERAGE. 
THE EVENT WAS SO POPULAR WITH THE WOMEN'S CLUB, THAT THEY 
REQUESTED A RETURN MATCH THAT WILL BE ORGANIZED IN THE NEAR 
FUTURE.  THE THIRD HIGH IMPACT BASKETBALL EVENT FEATURED A 
GROUP OF 8 NCAA BASKETBALL COACHES WHO WERE IN KUWAIT AS 
PART OF "OPERATION HARDWOOD," A DOD PROGRAM THAT BROUGHT THE 
COACHES TO THE U.S. MILITARY BASE AT CAMP ARIFJAN TO 
INTERACT WITH THE TROOPS STATIONED IN KUWAIT.  WITH THE 
COOPERATION OF CFLCC-MILITARY PUBLIC AFFAIRS, EMBASSY PUBLIC 
AFFAIRS ARRANGED FOR THESE COACHES TO HOLD CLINICS FOR 
KUWAITI PLAYERS, AGED 12 TO 14, AND THEIR COACHES. 
 
USING MUSIC TO DELIVER THE MESSAGE 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  TWO RECENT MUSICAL PROGRAMS IN KUWAIT ALSO REAFFIRMED 
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CULTURAL PROGRAMMING IN REACHING 
DIVERSE AUDIENCES.  IN SEPTEMBER, 2005, PUBLIC AFFAIRS 
ORGANIZED A VISIT BY THE AMERICAN ROCK BAND "CIRCUS GUY" TO 
PROMOTE STUDY IN THE U.S.A. AND THE COMMON CULTURAL 
TRADITIONS OF AMERICAN AND ARABIC MUSIC (REFTEL C).  THE 
BAND, WHICH INCLUDES TWO ARAB-AMERICANS, PLAYED U.S. ROCK 
MUSIC, INCLUDED ARABIC TUNES IN THEIR CONCERT, PERCEPTIBLY 
CONNECTING WITH THEIR AUDIENCES (NUMBERING AROUND 3,000 
TOTAL THROUGHOUT THE TOUR).  THE CIRCUS GUY TOUR HAD THREE 
PRIMARY GOALS: TO PROMOTE STUDY IN THE U.S., TO SHARE 
AMERICAN CULTURE WITH KUWAITI YOUTH AUDIENCES, AND TO SHOW 
YOUNG KUWAITI AUDIENCES THAT ARAB-AMERICANS ARE PROUD OF 
THEIR HERITAGE AS ARABS AND AS AMERICANS. 
 
¶4.  THE SECOND MUSICAL TOUR HOSTED BY THE EMBASSY WAS THE 
"NEW ORLEANS ALL-STAR BRASS BAND," BROUGHT TO KUWAIT ON 
NOVEMBER 24, 2005, TO THANK KUWAIT FOR ITS SUPPORT FOLLOWING 
HURRICANE KATRINA.  THE AUDIENCE WAS COMPRISED OF LEADING 
MEMBERS OF KEY MPP TARGET GROUPS, INCLUDING KUWAITI 
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, BUSINESS LEADERS AND CLOSE EMBASSY 
CONTACTS.  THE CONCERT WAS AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS THAT 
GARNERED MUCH POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM ATTENDEES.  SHORTLY 
AFTER THE NEW ORLEANS CONCERT, DURING THE VISIT OF IIP 
COORDINATOR ALEX FELDMAN TO A LOCAL DIWANIYA, (A KUWAITI 
GATHERING PLACE WHERE ISSUES OF THE DAY ARE DISCUSSED), ONE 
CONTACT COMPLAINED THAT THE EMBASSY WAS NEGLECTING LARGE 
CULTURAL PROGRAMS, AND "SHOULD DO MORE EVENTS SUCH AS THE 
NEW ORLEANS CONCERT" BECAUSE DIRECT CULTURAL INTERACTION HAS 
A POWERFUL POSITIVE IMPACT IN KUWAIT. 
 
¶5.  POST EMPHASIZES THAT WHILE BOTH OF THESE EVENTS WERE 
MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, THEY SUCCESSFULLY REACHED 
FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT AUDIENCES WITH DIFFERENT MESSAGES 
AND EARNED HIGH-MARKS FROM KUWAITI CONTACTS. 
 
FILMS FOR THE FREEDOM AGENDA 
---------------------------- 
 
 
KUWAIT 00005140  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶6.  THE EMBASSY HAS ALSO HAD GREAT SUCCESS USING FILM TO 
MESSAGE DIVERSE TARGETED AUDIENCES.  THE POLITICAL SECTION 
HAS HELD FILM EVENTS TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND THE FREEDOM 
AGENDA, WHILE PUBLIC AFFAIRS ORGANIZED MOVIE NIGHTS TO BRING 
NON-ELITE ACCESS ENGLISH-LANGUAGE STUDENTS TO THE EMBASSY TO 
SEE FILMS RELEVANT TO VARIOUS ASPECTS OF AMERICAN SOCIETY 
(REFTELS B AND G).  MOVIE NIGHTS TARGETING NON-ELITE NINTH- 
AND TENTH-GRADE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS PROVIDES THE 
EMBASSY ITS FIRST INTERACTION WITH THESE KUWAITIS. 
 
ART IN EMBASSIES ATTRACTS NEW CONTACTS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  VISUAL ART EXHIBITS ALSO HAVE BEEN A WELCOME ADDITION TO 
OUR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY EFFORTS IN KUWAIT.  THE ART IN 
EMBASSIES PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED THE EMBASSY A TOOL WITH WHICH 
TO ATTRACT DIVERSE GROUPS OF ARTISTS AS WELL AS 
TRADITIONALLY CONSERVATIVE FEMALE STUDENTS TO INTRODUCE THEM 
TO AMERICAN ART.  WHILE NOT AS BROAD-REACHING AS OTHER 
CULTURAL PROGRAMS, THE VISUAL ARTS COMMUNITY IN KUWAIT IS 
STRONG AND ACTIVE AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN PROMOTING 
TOLERANCE THROUGH THEIR WORK. 
 
CONSTRAINTS TO ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  CONSTRAINTS TO EFFECTIVELY UTILIZING CULTURAL, ARTS OR 
SPORTS PROGRAMMING ARE MOST OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH CULTURAL 
SENSITIVITIES IN THIS CONSERVATIVE ISLAMIC ENVIRONMENT. 
PERFORMING ARTS, VISUAL ARTS OR FILM PROGRAMMING MUST TAKE 
INTO ACCOUNT CULTURAL SENSITIVITIES REGARDING COSTUMES, 
PROVOCATIVE DANCING, OR SEXUAL CONTENT.  THE GREATEST 
CONSTRAINT TO ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING IS COST.  MOST 
MUSICAL GROUPS WITH FOUR OR MORE MEMBERS COST AT LEAST 
$30,000, AN AMOUNT NEARLY EQUIVALENT TO YEARLY PD PROGRAM 
FUNDS. 
 
PARTNERSHIPS IN CULTURAL PROGRAMMING 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶9.  THE MISSION HAS HAD LIMITED SUCCESS COLLABORATING ON 
CULTURAL PROGRAMS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.  THE MOST 
SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP TO-DATE HAS BEEN WITH CHEVRON ON 
SUMMER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR ACCESS SCHOLARSHIP 
RECIPIENTS (REFTEL D).  THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS SUPPORTED 
THE EMBASSY'S ORGANIZATION OF ANNUAL NATIONAL DAY EVENTS. 
SUCCESSFUL CULTURAL COLLABORATIONS HAVE PRIMARILY TAKEN 
PLACE WITH KUWAITI SPORTS CLUBS, ARTS ASSOCIATIONS, AND WITH 
U.S. MILITARY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICES. 
 
RECOMMENDED PROGRAMMING 
----------------------- 
 
¶10.  EMBASSY EFFORTS TO FULFILL MPP OBJECTIVES BENEFIT FROM 
CULTURAL AND SPORTS PROGRAMMING, WHICH PROVIDE ACCESS TO 
AUDIENCES OTHERWISE INACCESSIBLE, SUCH AS STUDENT AUDIENCES 
IN PLACES THEY FREQUENT -- SCHOOLS, SHOPPING MALLS, OR 
SPORTS CLUBS.  THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS WOULD SUPPORT OUTREACH 
EFFORTS TO DIVERSE KUWAITI AUDIENCES WITH THE AIM OF 
IMPROVING NEGATIVE PUBLIC OPINION OR MISPERCEPTIONS THAT 
THWART U.S. INTERESTS: 
 
¶11.  MUSIC:  A TOUR OF TRADITIONAL NEW ORLEANS BANDS WOULD 
BE WELCOME IN BUILDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN KUWAIT FOR THE 
RE-BIRTH OF NEW ORLEANS, AS WELL AS FOR DEMONSTRATING 
AMERICAN APPRECIATION FOR MULTICULTURALISM.  THE RECENT 24- 
HOUR VISIT BY THE NEW ORLEANS ALL-STAR BAND WAS TOO BRIEF IN 
LENGTH TO ALLOW FOR THE BROAD IMPACT IT COULD HAVE HAD.  A 
TOUR OF THREE TO FOUR DAYS WOULD HAVE OFFERED THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO REACH MORE DIVERSE AND LARGER AUDIENCES, 
INCLUDING YOUTH AND NON-ELITES. 
 
¶12.  SPORTS:  BASKETBALL, SOCCER AND OTHER SPORTS PROGRAMS, 
PERHAPS IN THE FORM OF VISITING "CULTURE CONNECT ENVOYS," 
ARE HIGH-IMPACT PROGRAMS THAT WOULD ASSIST EMBASSY EFFORTS 
TO REACH MANY YOUNG KUWAITI BOYS AND GIRLS AT A RELATIVELY 
LOW COST.  BASKETBALL IS AN ENORMOUSLY POPULAR U.S. EXPORT 
AS IS PRO-WRESTLING.  THE WORLD CUP IN THE SUMMER OF 2006 
MAY ALSO PROVIDE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE SOCCER 
PROGRAMS IN TANDEM WITH KUWAITI PARTNERS AND OTHER 
DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN KUWAIT.  THE MISSION PLANS TO 
CONTINUE SPORTS OUTREACH BY PARTNERING WITH LOCAL SPORTS 
CLUBS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO DEVELOP UNIQUE 
PROGRAMS SUCH AS AN "AMERICAN-STYLE" 3-ON-3 BASKETBALL 
TOURNAMENT FOR YOUNG KUWAITI BOYS AND GIRLS, BEING PLANNED 
FOR MARCH, 2006. 
 
¶13.  FILM:  THE DEVELOPMENT BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF A 
FILM FESTIVAL PACKAGE THAT WOULD CIRCULATE REGIONALLY, 
PERHAPS ACCOMPANIED BY A SPEAKER, WOULD ENHANCE EMBASSY 
EFFORTS TO SPREAD POSITIVE IMAGES AND MESSAGES ABOUT AMERICA 
 
KUWAIT 00005140  003 OF 003 
 
 
THROUGH FILM.  OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION IS CURRENTLY 
ORGANIZING SUCH A FILM FESTIVAL WITH KUWAITI PARTNER 
ORGANIZATIONS.  MISSIONS WOULD BE BETTER ABLE TO ORGANIZE 
FILM FESTIVALS EFFICIENTLY IF THE DEPARTMENT'S FILM OFFICE 
COULD PREPARE A FILM FESTIVAL PACKAGE OF SEVEN TO EIGHT 
ENTERTAINING AND INFORMATIVE FILMS REPRESENTING A RANGE OF 
GENRES (ON 35 MM CELLULOID) THAT ADVANCE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF 
AMERICAN SOCIETY AND VALUES.  THESE FILMS SHOULD DISPLAY 
HIGH PRODUCTION VALUES AS WELL AS ARTISTRY, FOCUS ON TOPICS 
THAT ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION, AND BE COMPATIBLE 
WITH CONSERVATIVE SOCIAL MORES (MEANING LIMITED SEXUAL 
CONTENT).  THE FESTIVAL KIT ALSO SHOULD INCLUDE PROMOTIONAL 
AND BACKGROUND MATERIALS.  SUCH TURNKEY PACKAGES WOULD MORE 
EFFICIENTLY AID PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN EFFORTS TO CONDUCT FILM 
FESTIVALS. 
 
¶14.  VISUAL ARTS:  WHILE THE VISUAL ARTS COMMUNITY IN KUWAIT 
IS VERY ACTIVE, IT REACHES A SMALL, OFTEN LIBERALLY-INCLINED 
COMMUNITY.  THE EMBASSY UTILIZED THE ART IN EMBASSIES 
PROGRAM TO HOST A RECEPTION FOR KUWAITI ARTISTS AND TO 
CONDUCT PROGRAMS FOR KUWAITI STUDENTS DURING THE PAST YEAR. 
WE HOPE TO BRING A PARTICIPATING AMERICAN ARTIST TO KUWAIT 
TO FOLLOW UP ON AND AUGMENT THESE ACTIVITIES WITH THIS 
SEGMENT OF KUWAITI SOCIETY.  TO EXPAND OUR VISUAL ARTS 
OUTREACH TO CONSERVATIVE ARAB AND ISLAMIC AUDIENCES, A 
TRAVELING EXHIBIT OF THE WORKS OF AMERICAN MUSLIM 
CALLIGRAPHERS ACCOMPANIED BY THE ARTISTS, WOULD HAVE A HUGE 
IMPACT ON THREE KEY POST GOALS.  SUCH A PROGRAM WOULD BOOST 
OUR OUTREACH DIRECTLY TO CONSERVATIVE ISLAMIC COMMUNITIES, 
WOULD EXPAND THE GROWING COOPERATION WE HAVE ESTABLISHED 
WITH THE GOK'S MINISTRY OF AWQAF AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS, AND 
ADD TO OUR ONGOING COOPERATION WITH KUWAIT'S ARTS SOCIETIES. 
EMBASSIES KUWAIT AND MANAMA REQUESTED SUCH A PROGRAM THROUGH 
THE CULTURE CONNECT ENVOY PROGRAM, BUT THE ARTIST, MOHAMED 
ZAKARIYA, HAD HEALTH ISSUES THAT PREVENTED HIM FROM 
TRAVELING TO THE REGION.  AN AMERICAN ARTIST WITH SIMILARLY 
IMPRESSIVE CREDENTIALS IN THE FIELDS OF ARABIC CALLIGRAPHY 
OR ISLAMIC ART WOULD GUARANTEE SUCCESSFUL, HIGH-IMPACT 
PROGRAMS THAT WOULD BY NATURE EMPHASIZE THE BEAUTY AND 
INHERENT MESSAGE OF TOLERANCE WITHIN THE ART OF AMERICAN 
ISLAMIC ARTISTS. 
 
¶15.  THEATER:  THE EMBASSY HAS NOT PROGRAMMED THEATER EVENTS 
OR DRAMATIC ARTS IN RECENT YEARS.  OUR ASSESSMENT OF THE 
ENVIRONMENT IN KUWAIT IS THAT PROGRAMMING A PLAY OR OTHER 
DRAMATIC ARTS PERFORMANCE WOULD BE WELL-RECEIVED, HAVE A 
STRONG INFLUENCE ON THE PARTICIPANTS, AND LEAVE A POSITIVE 
IMPRESSION.  THEATER PERFORMANCES FEATURING CONTEMPORARY OR 
CLASSICAL AMERICAN THEMES OR SUBJECTS RELATED TO THE FREEDOM 
AGENDA WOULD BE FEASIBLE IN KUWAIT.  A PLAY FEATURING A 
SMALL CAST WITH MINIMAL STAGING AND SET REQUIREMENTS WOULD 
BE ECONOMICAL AND EFFECTIVE IN CONNECTING WITH AUDIENCES IN 
NEW WAYS. 
 
HIGH IMPACT RESULTS WORTH THE COSTS OF ENGAGING 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶16.  COMMENT:  DESPITE THE FISCAL AND CULTURAL CONSTRAINTS 
AND BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCES OVER THE PAST YEAR, THIS 
EMBASSY IS CONVINCED THAT THE BENEFITS OF ARTS, CULTURAL, 
AND SPORTS PROGRAMMING FAR OUTWEIGH THE COSTS ASSOCIATED 
WITH THEM IN TERMS OF ENGAGING NEW AND TARGET AUDIENCES, 
INCLUDING A BROAD RANGE OF STUDENT POPULATIONS AND 
CONSERVATIVE COMMUNITIES, WITH THE VIEW TO CHANGING NEGATIVE 
ATTITUDES TOWARD AMERICAN SOCIETY AND POLICIES.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
LEBARON