THE HIGH IMPACT OF CULTURAL AND SPORTS PROGRAMS

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