Many precedents have been set over the last thirty years, but the most important is the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah’s role as an active player in the development of cultural awareness on a global scale. 2013 is winding down as this book goes to press and the DAI can point to a busy calendar here and abroad – both during the months past and the months ahead. The organisation – following well-established precedent – will continue to grow and evolve this year and in the years that follow.

Internationally, our travelling exhibition al-Fann opened in South Korea at the National Museum and more than DAI 100 objects travelled to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (USA), as part of a five year agreement between the DAI and the MFAH to promote art from the Islamic world. Sheikha Hussah was in Houston for the launch of this first exhibition in January. In April, as the “Keeper of Memories”, she gave a TEDx lecture at the “Religious Freedom Today” conference organised, in part, by the Vatican.

Cultural Season 18 is over and Cultural Season 19 is well underway. The DAI Music Diwaniya (formerly the DAI Music Circle) programme for this season is full and includes expanded theatrical offerings and a new Classic Film Night. Music is also on the programme Sunday nights as the “Music of Diplomacy” features musicians from around the world, presented by their embassies.

Two new exhibitions drawn from The al-Sabah Collection opened at Amricani in April, Splendors of the Ancient East: Antiquities in The al-Sabah Collection and Verses from the Holy Qur’an on Works of Art. Two exhibitions, Splendors Loaned from the Lands of Antiquities and Splendors Loaned from the Kuwait National Museum, featuring loans from prominent museums in Kuwait, Afghanistan, Greece, Iran and Iraq opened in conjunction with the al-Sabah exhibitions.

At least two books on aspects of the The al-Sabah Collection will be published this year. In addition, the catalogue for Splendors was launched with the exhibition in April.

The publications department has outlined the next four issues of Hadeeth ad-Dar and schedule an equal number of Bareed ad-Dar issues. The social media team is developing a strategy to increase the DAI’s electronic presence, including the possibility of e-Hadeeth ad-Dar and e-Bareed ad-Dar.

The education department is expanding its programme, adding a second group of Junior Docents, new subjects to the Children’s Art Workshop curriculum, new opportunities for visiting classrooms, training new docents and training current docents on the new exhibitions.

Work continues on the rehabilitation of the Kuwait National Museum (KNM) and the DAI has begun taking possession of completed space. The next few years will see more and more of the organisation move back to the KNM, until finally the doors of the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah at the Kuwait National Museum are open again.

Local and touring exhibitions, international object loans, new and exciting cultural season voices, expanded offerings in the lively arts, more collection-specific publications, increased education opportunities for children, teens and adults: all this and more is what you can expect from the DAI in 2013 and beyond.