While watching yesterday's friendly Brazil-Kuwait match (LINK) and the soaring spectators: men, women, children, Kuwaitis, expatriates, all doing the wave, chanting and singing, I realized I was transported back to Kuwait in the late 70s, which I used to visit as a young boy; when life was simple, tolerant, open, not shackled by the corruption and radicalism that currently seethe through our system and social life in Kuwait.
Here we had people having fun. We had the best football team in the world in our country and we were hosting them and enjoying every bit of it. Pele, the legendary football player was present as guest of honor, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho, and many other stars shone amidst the crowd of 20,000 spectators.
Whether Brazil or Kuwait won was irrelevant. Anyone knows that if it wasn't a friendly match the score would have been Brazil - 25, Kuwait - 0, but that is not the point. The theatrics were not the point. The tacky musical interludes were not the point. The point is people were having fun again, away from the bureaucracy, routine and stress in their lives. It was the Kuwait of yester-year when we were the Pearl of the Gulf, when expatriates flocked here, when people were simpler, kinder and didn't need to threaten others with their extremism; when the country was booming and hopes for the future and shining optimism fueled us all.
To anyone who aspires to help Kuwait regain its foothold again in the international spotlight and to offer delight to our citizens, whether in the sports world, the arts world, the world of entertainment, any sphere; they deserve our support and our thanks. Member of Parliament Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanim, the pioneer behind last night's event, deserves our special gratitude for spearheading this event, refusing to allow last year's cancellation shroud future plans.
To the youngsters reading our blog, I feel empathy for you. You had a taste last night of what Kuwait was like 25 years ago, but to us older folk it was a way of life.
Your post actually made me cry. I am not joking.
Khosh maq3al, amer.
Very true words and well spoken.
Inshallah doam
wow.. i wish i was there.. ur description was beautiful.. yeah i wish i aslo experienced life in kuwait in the 70's my parents tell me it was just so much better.. so full of.. life!
hopefully with newer generations, we can go back :)
I agree Amer that we NEED fun! Depressed people are disfunctional and lack creativity and drive .. which are the main facets of the Kuwaiti society's profile :(
We have no reason not to have more events like that; we have the resources and the need. What else? the will?!
Finally, let's hope that Marzoug Al-Ghanim's contributions extend to other aspects of much needed reform :)
Thank you for highlighting a bright spot .. we needed that :)
"when life was simple, tolerant, open"
some youngsters feel the whole Kuwait thing started after invasion....they only know the cushy life they enjoy and they dont know the hardships their forefathers faced....
Amer...people like you are a big exception to it, being nice, courteous and respecting others....may god bless you...
Great post and I wish that there will be more events such as these! One thing has to change though and you mentioned it in this post, which is, "corruption and radicalism"
If only we can get rid of those then we would definitly be better off!
The best part is that it all happened in Kaifan... hotbed of extremism!!
a7la shay kan bel mooobaraaat el jeemhoor 9eeeeeeej ebareed el galab ! ( kuwaitiyeeen e7eeboon el w:Panasa )
keeel shay kan 7ada ok ! wa a7la shay kan el jeeemhoom 7ada 3ajeeeb wa ebareed el chabd !
Dear Gandhi,
Nice post.
Love,
Howard Stern
I didn't go to the match but I really liked the view of the crowds on TV. I guess this is the first time in decade(s) that we've seen a full stadium in Kuwait.
Amer..
Taqabbal Allah
Your website is one of my favorite though this is the first time I contribute to it.
Way to go..
Geish@
Thanks all for the kind words.
Ironic though that the Brazilian press has criticized their football team for doing friendly games:
http://za.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=sportsNews&storyID=2006-10-09T064855Z_01_BAN924689_RTRIDST_0_OZASP-SOCCER-BRAZIL-KUWAIT-20061009.XML
It was a nice game and a nice event.
So now we need to focus on how to build on this?
Sports is an art as well as entertainment. people have fun when they go and watch games like these.
Why bother have teams in kuwait like al-saheel, al-shabaab etc.
ooooooooh....my heart bleeds when i talk about this topic. let me be.
True, man. What happened to the days of innocence where everybody looked into each other's eyes and saw a fellow citizen and not a person of a different tribe or religious sector what not. Its dead now, everything in business and politics. We tend to forget that the best things in life are the simplest... like a ball game.
I remember being in Fenway Park in Boston during the summer, watching my beloved Red Sox play the NY Yankees. Nothing felt better than singin along with the crowd, feeling at ease and at home.
Like I said, the days of innocence are dead.
I kmew Brazil would win because Kuwait is weak and brazil are strong In Brazil team there are: Ronaldinho,Robinho,Ronaldo,kaka and the goalkeeper Dida.
Did you know Cafu went to Jail.