Under the patronage and attendance of Acting President of Kuwait University Prof. Meshari Al-Harbi, the Student Affairs Deanship, represented by the Voluntary and Scouting Activities Section in the Sports Activities Department, organized an awareness initiative against drugs titled “Stay Aware” in cooperation with Sheikh Abdullah Al-Nouri Charity, Al-Iman Voluntary Initiatives Team in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, at 10:30 AM on Monday, December 11, 2023, in the Reception Room at the College of Life Sciences. The event was attended by the Acting Dean of Student Affairs Prof. Jassim Al-Hamdan, General Manager of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Nouri Charity Mr. Waleed Al-Saif, Head of Al-Iman Voluntary Initiative Team Ms. Iman Al-Khalidi, Acting Dean of the College of Life Sciences Dr. Nawaf Al-Hajri, Acting Controller of the Sports Activities Department and Head of Kuwait University Volunteer Team Dr. Tariq Dashti, Controller of the College of Life Sciences Mr. Hamad Bu Qumaz, and a number of academic and administrative staff members along with university students and students from Rawdh Al-Salheen Secondary School.
The seminar host, journalist Abdulaziz Darwish, welcomed the attendees, then invited the Head of Al-Iman Voluntary Initiative Team Ms. Iman Al-Khalidi to deliver her speech, during which she thanked the attendees and Kuwait University for hosting this initiative and everyone who contributed to the success of launching this initiative aimed at protecting youth from the scourge of drugs.
Acting President of Kuwait University Prof. Meshari Al-Harbi welcomed the attendees, expressing his happiness with this initiative and emphasizing the achievement of partnership goals between Kuwait University and representatives of this highly important initiative, especially after the spread of modern communication means, which has placed a major role on educational institutions in forming and building individuals and society. He noted that the importance of this initiative stands out in raising awareness against the dangers of afflictions that threaten the life of society, and demonstrating the role of educational institutions in strengthening all elements of combating these afflictions including drugs.
He mentioned that since the establishment of Kuwait University, its developmental mission has included achieving its social responsibility through spreading culture, promoting exchange of experiences, and activating constructive partnerships to develop society and protect it against everything that threatens its stability and everything that hampers its steps toward achieving its goals of prosperity and progress, through seminars, lectures, discussion sessions, and scientific research aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of drugs. He emphasized that students are the spearhead in community development, and protecting them from the dangers of afflictions is a responsibility that requires concerted efforts to protect the youth who represent the basic building block in building this nation.
In this regard, General Manager of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Nouri Charity Mr. Waleed Al-Saif emphasized the importance of this initiative in supporting community awareness within Kuwait, highlighting the charity’s role in participating in and supporting these awareness initiatives and activities, thanking Kuwait University for sponsoring this initiative, and also thanking the participating charitable associations and the Ministry of Interior for their participation in raising community awareness and striving to eliminate this scourge.
In a speech delivered by Acting Dean of Student Affairs Prof. Jassim Al-Hamdan, he praised the role of entities in supporting these initiatives for youth awareness, who are considered future leaders, especially as they are an intellectually and morally targeted group. Hence comes the role of the Student Affairs Deanship at Kuwait University in solidarity with many community entities and institutions within Kuwait to protect this group and guide them to be fully aware and knowledgeable of these dangers and their effects and consequences, concluding his speech by saying: “If you want to look at the future of any country in the world, look at its youth.”
Acting Dean of the College of Life Sciences Dr. Nawaf Al-Hajri thanked the sponsors and organizers of these initiatives targeting youth, noting that these seminars are important in raising youth awareness about the scourge of drugs, especially since youth are the pillar of the future.
A theatrical scene titled “My Friend Dueij” was presented by Scientific Assistant at the College of Architecture Nassar Adel Al-Nassar. At the conclusion, the participating and sponsoring entities of this awareness initiative were honored.
On the sidelines of the awareness initiative, an exhibition was held with participation from several entities including Kuwait Oil Company, Public Relations and Security Media at the Ministry of Interior, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Nouri Charity, General Department of Private Education, and the General Authority for Minors Affairs, among others.
An awareness lecture was also held during which Legal Officer Major Abdulaziz Al-Langawi from the Awareness Section emphasized the role of law in protecting society from drugs, addressing addiction complaints, voluntary treatment applications, and companion penalties.
For his part, drug expert at the General Administration for Drug Control Dr. Ayed Al-Humaidan explained that experimentation with drugs and psychotropic substances among some youth of both genders and the resulting loss of their future due to their ignorance of the law and lack of awareness of its dangers and destructive effects is what motivates serious work in raising awareness about drug issues, which is done in cooperation between the General Administration for Drug Control, the General Administration for Relations and Security Media, and the Ministry of Education, advising them to be fully aware of this issue given the effects that inevitably lead to loss of future and sometimes loss of life.
