LONDON: Sheikh Mubarak Abdallah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah expressed appreciation for the role of Kuwait's Ambassador to the UK Khaled Al-Duwaisan in boosting and caring for Kuwait-Britain relations over three decades, during which he served with dedication and added to it a humanitarian touch that gave it more strength at the official and popular levels.

Sheikh Mubarak, during his visit along with his sons Abdallah and Ahmad to Ambassador Duwaisan at the Embassy in London on the occasion of the end of his tenure after 30 years of hard work as Kuwait Ambassador in London, said, "Ambassador Duwaisan's contribution gave Kuwait-Britain bilateral relations a distinguished nature and it was difficult to speak about these relations without mentioning him."

He said Duwaisan has a prestigious political experience and he dedicated it for the service of Kuwait in various field. He lauded the ambassador's care for Sheikh Abdallah Mubarak Al-Sabah award for the English books about the Arabian Gulf and Middle East, as the Ambassador is keen to attend the annual ceremony that is held in London to distribute the awards.

It is worth mentioning that this award's age is nearly 25 years, as when the Kuwait-Britain friendship society was founded in April 1996, Dr Suad Al-Sabah was chosen as an honorary president of the society for Kuwait, and Britain's Heir Apparent Prince Charles as honorary president of the society for Britain.

Sheikh Abdallah Al-Mubarak foundation announced the reward in 1998 in cooperation with the society to honor the best authors of books in English about the Arabian Gulf in Britain. It was then expanded to include the best books in English about Middle East studies in an effort to strengthen understanding with the Middle East and the Arab world, especially in English speaking countries.

The foundation is used to hold an annual ceremony in cooperation with the friendship society under the patronage of Kuwait embassy, in which a large number of academics both Arab and foreign countries participate. The reward discussed more than 1,200 books since its establishment, most of which are related to the Middle East, and hundreds of researchers and specialists participated.