The Kuwaiti flag is flying high on Sahafa Street, part of a milestone celebration marking 65 years since the founding of Kuwait Times, Kuwait’s first print newspaper, and 20 years since the launch of Kuwait News, the country’s first digital newspaper. One of the tallest in Kuwait, the steel flagpole stands 30 meters high, with a 50-square-meter flag fluttering in the wind, quickly becoming a landmark in Shuwaikh.
Newly appointed Minister of Information and Culture Abdullah Boftain, who served as Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Kuwait Times and Executive Director of Kuwait News, said the decision to raise the Kuwaiti flag (Al-Bairaq) at the headquarters of Kuwait Times and Kuwait News stemmed from a deep sense of national responsibility tied to the institutions’ identity and history.
“From the earliest days on Kuwait’s historic Press Street, the headquarters of Kuwait Times and Kuwait News carried more than a name — it carried the name of a nation,” he said, stressing that the word Kuwait in both titles was never merely symbolic, but represented “a responsibility, a voice and a lasting commitment to the country”.
Boftain explained that the idea of installing a permanent flag was intended to serve as a visible reminder that journalism is not only written and published, but also stood for, noting that “the flag would speak before any headline is read”.
According to him, the vision dates back to 2020 and emerged during the early phase of rebuilding the newspaper. “This was not born overnight,” he said, adding that the project required intensive research, planning and coordination, including selecting a specialized company, finalizing the structural design and allocating the necessary budget before execution began.
“Raising the flag was not a ceremonial gesture,” Boftain said. “It was a tribute to history, a reaffirmation of identity and a statement that no matter how media evolves, its roots remain firmly grounded in the nation it serves.” What began as a vision six years ago has now transformed the building into a national symbol, honoring both the legacy of Kuwaiti journalism and its future.
