BY SHAZIA SALEEM
Postage stamps and postcards serve as vital historical records of Kuwait, documenting buildings, places and events that form part of the country’s collective memory, Sheikha Hala Bader Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, honorary member of the Kuwaiti Philatelic and Numismatic Society, said at the opening of a new exhibition. Speaking at the launch of “Urban Renaissance in Kuwait Through Stamps and Postcards,” organised by the society, Sheikha Hala called for stronger efforts to preserve heritage buildings, restore those that can be saved and convert some into museums and historical sites capable of attracting visitors.
The exhibition showcases a personal collection assembled by society Vice Chairman Hisham Qasim Al-Ballam. It documents more than 130 Kuwaiti buildings and streets, highlighting key aspects of the country’s architectural and heritage history. Sheikha Hala noted that postage stamps have helped preserve an important part of Kuwait’s past by recording old buildings and major events. Postcards, meanwhile, have safeguarded photographs and scenes of places, some of which no longer exist.
“Postage stamps have proven that these buildings existed, and we hope officials will take notice of them and look for them because they are part of our history,” she said. Some structures have been demolished, she observed, while others remain standing but require restoration. She stressed the value of restoring and reviving heritage buildings, suggesting that selected ones could become museums or historical sites for tourists and those interested in Kuwait’s past. Such buildings, she said, offer tangible evidence of important stages in the nation’s development.
Expressing regret over the loss of several old buildings once central to everyday life, Sheikha Hala recalled that some of the structures on display reminded her of her childhood yet no longer stand. She cited Shuwaikh Secondary School, remembering distinctive features such as its globe, alongside other buildings removed for various reasons. Preserving and restoring what remains, she emphasised, is a responsibility tied to protecting Kuwait’s national memory.
In its early years Kuwait relied on limited resources, “with nothing but the land and the sea”, so buildings from that era provide important evidence of the country’s urban renaissance. She urged authorities to pay greater attention to old buildings that can still be restored. Rehabilitating them would help introduce younger generations to Kuwait’s history and strengthen heritage as a cultural and tourism attraction.
Many of these structures featured distinctive designs, and Kuwait at different stages brought in foreign engineers to design facilities, making them integral to the story of urban development. The exhibition’s central message, she said, is the need to move beyond documentation through photographs and stamps to the practical work of saving, restoring and finding new uses for buildings that can still be preserved while retaining their identity. Al-Ballam, speaking on the sidelines, described a postage stamp as the “identity and symbol of every country” and an important historical document that traces stages of urban, cultural and tourism development.
His collection highlights Kuwait’s transformation from the late 1950s and early 1960s, including buildings later demolished. Stamps and postcards, he noted, proved those structures existed and preserved their images for future generations. A stamp is not merely a means of mail delivery but a record of a country’s history and progress, offering insights into heritage, culture, national occasions and landmarks. Private collections, he added, remain a valuable resource for researchers and heritage enthusiasts.
