This year marks the centennial of the birth of Abdul Aziz Hussein Alterkait (1920–1996), a leading Kuwaiti intellectual & diplomat and an advocate of culture and education not only in Kuwait but across the Arab World.

In 1939 Abdul Aziz Hussein was part of the first cohort of Kuwaiti students to be sent on scholarship by the government to Cairo to study. There he obtained two degrees from Al Azhar University in Arabic language & literature.

In Cairo Hussein became one of the founders of "Al Bi'tha" (The Mission) magazine which published articles by Kuwaiti students in Egypt and elsewhere. He then became the Editor of the publication from 1946.

In 1945 Hussein became the Director of Kuwait Cultural Bureau in Cairo, a position he held for five years before returning to Kuwait where he was appointed Director-General of the Department of Education in Kuwait in 1952-1961, the predecessor to the Ministry of Education.

It was as Director-General of the Department of Education - دائرة المعارف - in Kuwait that Hussein visited Sharjah to oversee the school my mother was studying at then (she met him) called Fatima Al Zahra that Kuwait was was funding. Image still of school in 1959 taken by @lowwal

In 1958 Abdul Aziz Hussein helped found the Kuwait House which was inaugurated by Gamal Abdel Nasser. The Kuwait House displayed artworks by Kuwaitis and acted as a Kuwait overseas students association. Here is a video of the opening (via @ReemKhorshid)

Abdul Aziz Hussein was appointed as first ambassador of Kuwait to Egypt following its independence from Britain. Here he is handing over his credentials to President Gamal Abdel Nasser on December 20 1961. Hussein was also accredited to the Arab League between 1961 & 1963

In 1964 Hussein, then Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs accompanied Emir Sheikh Abdallah Al Salem, Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed & current Emir Sabah Al Ahmed on a visit to Alexandria. Hussein is in the black suit standing behind Sheikh Abdallah (white bisht). Photo @gharsalzamn

Hussein chaired the "National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters" from its founding on 17 July 1973 until 1985. The NCCAL mission is to take "charge of the process of cultural, artistic and intellectual development based on a clear vision to promote culture and arts in general"

Abdul Aziz Hussein was appointed as advisor to Emir Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed in 1985. Today a school, a public library & a cultural centre are named in his honour. Here is the AP obituary of Hussein who died in 1996 after a career & life of service to Kuwait. https://apnews.com/bf23a7df7ba7e6444505b11d375f7ce9