Third Annual Maker Faire Kuwait Gains Momentum

Three years ago, an intrepid team of organizers launched the very first Maker Faire Kuwait, and the community responded enthusiastically. Last year, the Faire featured 110 exhibitors, and this year that number has expanded to 156. What’s more, the growth of Maker Faire Kuwait is reflected in the steady growth of the local maker community and is reverberating throughout area schools. Organizing team member Ahmad Alsaleh shares, “We have an increase in maker participation of 40% from last year. Based on our Makers Academy statistics, we also had an increase in the number of students attending courses for coding, robotics, fabrication, applied arts, and electronics. The community is growing fast and having an impact on education and schools.”

Held at the Kuwait International Fairgrounds from February 5–9, this year’s Maker Faire Kuwait promises to be even bigger and more dynamic than years past. Maker Faire founder Dale Dougherty will be speaking at the event. He attended last year and shared his observations:

So many of [the projects] seemed unique to the location and culture of Kuwait – a land made of sun, sand and wind on the Arabian Gulf. Yet what I walked away with, what I saw looking at the photos I took, and what I remembered even weeks later after the event, were the many faces of the makers I met there, the kind, curious makers of all ages and backgrounds — from Kuwait and from Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. The people, even more than the projects, stood out for me. In their faces, I could see the pride and passion they had for making — for sharing what they do with others who cared.

There are a wide range of projects scheduled to be on exhibit at the Faire, from the high tech to the traditional. Among them are a number of unique artisans. Below are just a few.