Burgan Bank Concludes Month-Long “Free Kuwait” Campaign, Reviving a National Initiative
A Promise That Endures (بينا وبينها عهد): An integrated revived campaign that brought together documentary storytelling, television, cinema, press, university engagement, branch activations and direct interaction with the public, in tribute to the Kuwaitis who carried their country’s voice to the world
Building on its longstanding commitment to preserving Kuwait’s rich historical legacy and celebrating the values that have shaped its national identity, Burgan Bank concluded its month-long “Free Kuwait” campaign, marking 36 years of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and bringing one of the nation’s most defining modern chapters closer to a new generation.
Built around the message “بينا وبينها عهد” (A Promise That Endures), the campaign returned to “Free Kuwait”, one of the most enduring symbols of the Kuwaiti people’s resolve during the invasion – two words that travelled the world at a time when Kuwait’s own borders had been closed. Rather than confining the initiative to a single day of commemoration, Burgan Bank developed a month-long campaign that carried the story across generations and platforms, with a particular focus on introducing younger Kuwaitis to the people, courage and sacrifices behind the movement.
First-hand accounts at the heart of the story
At the heart of the campaign was the Free Kuwait documentary, produced in collaboration with Senyar Group and built around first-hand testimony from the men and women who lived through the period and carried Kuwait’s cause to the world. The documentary captures personal accounts of media appearances, national efforts and individual acts of courage that converged around a single, unwavering purpose at the time: the freedom of Kuwait.
Commenting on the campaign, Ms. Danah AlJasem, General Manager – Corporate Communications at Burgan Bank, said: “As part of our commitment to ESG and Corporate Social Responsibility agenda which surpasses our day-to-day business, Burgan Bank believes in supporting initiatives that focus on sustaining the national heritage and values while ensuring they cascade to the younger generations in the Kuwaiti community.”
She added: “‘بينا وبينها عهد’ speaks to something far greater than a date on the calendar. It is about understanding what previous generations stood for, honoring every contribution – however small it may have seemed at the time – and carrying that same sense of belonging and responsibility forward. The bond between Kuwait and its people is a promise kept, renewed by every generation that inherits it.”
Burgan Bank extended its deepest appreciation to Ali AlMulaifi, Maha AlBarjas, Sundus Hamza, Adel AlYousefi, Reem AlBahar and Mustafa AlThaqeb, whose testimonies gave the documentary its voice. Their recollections offered a direct and profoundly human perspective on how individual determination came together to form a national movement. The Bank also paid tribute to everyone who contributed to the original Free Kuwait movement and helped carry the nation’s cause to the world during the invasion.
Taking the story across Kuwait
Throughout the month, the campaign reached far beyond the documentary and Burgan Bank’s own channels. The film was shared with the Ministry of Information and subsequently aired more than four times on Kuwait TV, bringing these testimonies into homes across the country. A Burgan Bank team member was also featured on the Kuwait TV Morning Show, further contributing to the national conversation around the initiative.
The documentary was also screened in local cinemas, taking the story to the big screen and extending its reach beyond digital and television audiences. A dedicated screening was held at the American University of Kuwait (AUK), bringing its first-hand accounts directly to students and giving a younger generation the opportunity to hear, in the words of their own countrymen and women, about events that unfolded years before many of them were born.
Extending the initiative further into the community, Burgan Bank also hosted a full-day activation at 360 Mall, where visitors of all ages were introduced to the history behind Free Kuwait and the enduring symbolism it continues to carry.
In parallel, the campaign extended across Burgan Bank branches throughout Kuwait, where commemorative Free Kuwait T-shirts and campaign giveaways were distributed to visitors. The reissued T-shirt preserved the design and symbolism of the original Free Kuwait movement, creating a tangible link between the message carried in 1990 and the generation encountering it today.
Bringing the campaign inside Burgan Bank
The campaign also brought together Burgan Bank employees across the head office and branches. A commemorative collection – including a Free Kuwait T-shirt, badge, phone sticker and special-edition newspaper – was developed for the initiative, while employees were invited to write their own pledges to Kuwait on a dedicated wall at Burgan Bank’s headquarters. Within an hour of opening, the wall was covered in handwritten messages.
As part of Burgan Bank’s continued support for the national “Let’s Be Aware” (Diraya) banking awareness campaign, the special-edition Free Kuwait print news supplement also carried a dedicated financial awareness message. It reinforced the importance of protecting banking information and using official electronic channels and websites when conducting banking transactions, weaving practical financial awareness into the wider national initiative.
A story that resonated across generations and 2.8 million views
Over the course of the month-long campaign, Free Kuwait generated more than 2.8 million digital views and over 25,700 engagements across Instagram, X and YouTube, driven by Burgan Bank’s owned channels – reflecting the continued resonance of this chapter of Kuwait’s history across generations.
Through the month-long “Free Kuwait” campaign, Burgan Bank reaffirmed its commitment to preserving Kuwait’s national memory and ensuring its stories continue to be understood, retold and carried forward by future generations. By bringing first-hand testimony together with contemporary platforms and direct public engagement, the campaign honored the people and sacrifices that shaped Free Kuwait and renewed the promise at the heart of the campaign itself: “بينا وبينها عهد”.
