Draft:Tareq Al-Sayid Rajab

Tareq Al-Sayid Rajab
Tareq Al-Sayid Rajab in the 1980s
Born	Tareq Sayid Fakhri Al-Sayid Rajab (1934-11-08)8 November 1934 Kuwait
Died	26 June 2016(2016-06-26) (aged 81) Kuwait
Nationality	Kuwaiti
Occupation(s)	Director of Antiquities, Director of the New English School, Director of the Tareq Rajab Museum
Spouse	Jehan Al-Sayid Rajab ​ ​ (m. 1955)​

Tareq Sayid Fakhri Al-Sayid Rajab (1934 - 26 June 2016) was a distinguished Kuwaiti educator, artist, archaeologist, collector of Islamic art and cultural preservationist.

Born into the harsh realities of old Kuwait, Tareq grew up in the scholarly household of his grandfather, Sayid Omar Asim, one of Kuwait's earliest scholars and the first headmaster of its first school, Al-Mubarakiya (1911). In 1948, at the age of 14, he travelled to Baghdad alone and collected his first manuscripts. He won an art competition at his school in 1952 and in turn, won a scholarship to study art in England, becoming the first Kuwaiti to be sent abroad to study art and later, archaeology. After returning to Kuwait, he joined the Department of Antiquities and Museums, a branch of the Ministry of Education and became its first Director. During his time as Director, he established Kuwait's first National Museum in the old palace of Sheikh Khaz'al, and oversaw the excavations on Failaka Island during the 1960s. He also opened both the archaeological and ethnographic museums on the island.

After growing increasingly frustrated with Kuwait's unwillingness to preserve its history in the face of rapid modernisation, he eventually resigned from the Department of Antiquities and founded the New English School in 1969, which was the first school in Kuwait to offer a British secondary education. He passionately collected Islamic art throughout these years and by 1980, opened the Tareq Rajab Museum, which was the first Islamic art museum in the region. By 1986, he also founded a school in Jordan, the New English School, Amman. Tareq also briefly served as Kuwait's representative to UNESCO during the mid 2000's.

Tareq Al-Sayid Rajab passed away in 2016, leaving behind a profound legacy as one of the most distinguished Kuwaitis of his generation. His contributions have left an indelible mark on Kuwait, his family, and the students of the New English School.

Early Life & Childhood

Tareq (centre) with His Brother and Sister (1930's)

Tareq Rajab Self Portrait (1940s)

School & a Scholarship to England

Tareq in England (1950s)

Return to Kuwait

Director of Antiquities and Museums

Tareq as Director of Antiquities

Excavations on Failaka Island

Tareq and Sheikh Abdullah Al-Jabir on Failaka (1960s)

Tareq and Dame Violet Dickson on Failaka (1960s)

New Ventures and the New English School

New English School's First Building (1969)

After resigning as Director of the Department of Museums and Antiquities in 1967, Tareq Rajab embarked on several entrepreneurial ventures. He established two businesses: a furniture and design company called the Kuwait Design Centre, employing a German architect and his interior designer mother, and a secretarial and language institute on Sour Street. Influenced by his time in England, Tareq decided to open a British-style school in Kuwait. His experiences in England had left him an Anglophile, and he wanted to provide Kuwaitis with the opportunity to receive a British education. At the time, Kuwait had a few British primary schools catering almost exclusively to the British expatriate population. Additionally, his children, Nur, Ziad, and Nader, were attending the American School of Kuwait, but Tareq preferred them to have a British education. Jehan was also working at the American school, adding to their interest in establishing a new educational institution.

Tareq at New English School (1969)

In 1969, Tareq founded the New English School (NES), the first British school in Kuwait to offer secondary education. Initially, the school was advertised as Kuwait English School; however, the municipality did not permit the use of 'Kuwait' in the name, leading to the change to New English School. To house the school, Tareq rented a property owned by Sheikh Salem Al Ali Al Sabah in Dhahiyat Abdullah Al Salem, which had previously served as the official government guest house.

Building a School

Initially, Tareq sought partners for his new school venture, including his uncle Ahmed, but none believed a British school would succeed in Kuwait, so he proceeded alone. He secured a loan from the National Bank of Kuwait, with the loan officer being Ibrahim Dabdoub, who would later become a prominent figure in the banking industry. The New English School opened with seven students and nine staff members, quickly gaining popularity and becoming an instant success. Although Jehan enjoyed her work at the American school, Tareq persuaded her to join NES in March 1970, where she devoted her life to the school.

Tareq Meeting Margaret Thatcher (1970s)

The New English School (NES) quickly gained a strong reputation for its quality education. This was highlighted when Margaret Thatcher, who was the British Minister of Education at the time, included a visit to NES in her schedule during her visit to Kuwait in 1972 or 1973, just a few years after the school's opening. NES continued to operate at its original Abdullah Al Salem site until 1974, when a new purpose-built facility in Jabriya was completed. The school moved to this new location in September 1974, and it soon became one of the leading schools in the region. In 1986, Tareq expanded his educational initiatives by establishing another New English School in Amman, Jordan.

Tareq Rajab Museum

By the 1960s, Tareq and his wife Jehan embarked on extensive travels across the Middle East, sometimes driving all the way to England. During these journeys, they began acquiring items from dealers in major cities like Damascus and Istanbul, as well as from villages in remote areas of Syria, Palestine, and Iran. Jehan, who had a deep anthropological interest in people and cultures, was particularly drawn to this aspect of their travels. While traveling, Tareq and Jehan sought to preserve the cultural heritage they encountered. They engaged with local communities and purchased artefacts directly from them, especially in regions where modernisation threatened traditional practices. This commitment to preserving cultural artefacts led them to gather a wide array of items, enhancing their collection and enriching their understanding of the diverse cultures they encountered.

Travels Around the World

Tareq & Jehan Outisde the Museum (1980)

Although the primary goal of their travels was enjoyment, Tareq and Jehan Rajab also focused on photographing and collecting artefacts to preserve elements of cultures that were rapidly modernising. At the time, many of the countries they visited lacked modern road systems. Tareq and Jehan often navigated rough roads and mountainous terrain, camping near villages and tribes. They engaged with local communities and often purchased artefacts directly from them. In the 1960s, Istanbul had not yet become the tourist hub it is today. This allowed Tareq and Jehan to discover many unique items for sale, especially ethnic artefacts that were largely overlooked by others at the time. Throughout their travels, Jehan developed a deep appreciation for traditional weavings and embroideries crafted by folk and tribal societies, noting that the quality was exceptionally high since these items had not yet been commercialised for tourists. As their professional responsibilities increased and the global political climate shifted, Tareq and Jehan's camping trips became less frequent. They began flying to various destinations, continuing to expand their collection from multiple sources.

Founding a Museum

Tareq and Jehan Inside the Museum (1980)

Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait (1990)

Jehan Packing Away Objects in The Museum (1990)

On 1 August 1990, Tareq Rajab left Kuwait to visit the New English School in Amman, Jordan, in preparation for the upcoming academic year. The following day, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Before international telephone lines were cut, his wife Jehan managed to call him from Kuwait. At that time, Jehan and their son Nader were the only members of the Rajab family in Kuwait and would endure seven months of military occupation.

The French Foreign Legion at the New English School (1991)

Jehan and Nader immediately took action to protect the museum.

Nasser, arranging for carpenters and builders to come to the museum. With limited resources, they sealed and concealed the museum as best as they could. Meanwhile, the New English School was not as fortunate and was occupied and ransacked by the Iraqi Army.

Tareq Opens the Museum After Liberation (1991)

In the early months of the occupation, Tareq and Jehan managed to communicate through a Palestinian driver employed by Tareq, who smuggled letters between Kuwait and Jordan. However, as Jordan's support for Iraq's invasion grew, Tareq faced increasing hostility at his school in Amman. Eventually, he decided to sell the school and move to London. After leaving Jordan, Tareq and Jehan could no longer communicate, leaving Tareq anxious about the safety of Jehan, Nader, and the museum.

Post-Invasion & Legacy

Tareq Meeting King Charles (1990s)

Tareq and Jehan published fifteen books, contributing significantly to the documentation and appreciation of Islamic art and Kuwait. In total, the museum published twenty-two books during their lifetimes. In the mid-2000s, Tareq briefly served as Kuwait's representative at UNESCO, but he resigned due to declining health. Despite facing constant health struggles during the last decade of his life, which eventually left him bedridden, Tareq never lost his passion for Islamic art. He continued to collect artefacts, with crates of new acquisitions arriving until the very end. Tareq passed away in 2016, one year after Jehan, leaving a profound impact on Kuwait, his family, and the students of the New English School.

Today, Tareq Al-Sayid Rajab's legacy endures through the museum, the school, and the rich cultural heritage he and Jehan preserved and shared with the world. Their contributions continue to inspire and educate future generations, ensuring that the beauty and history of Islamic art remain accessible to all.