History
The first known Armenian presence in Kuwait came immediately after the rise of Arab nationalism in Syria and Egypt in the 1950s and the 1960s.
The first wave of Armenian immigrants to Kuwait were people looking to escape the turmoil in other Arab states. They were mainly skilled craftsmen from Aleppo who found work in Kuwait’s light industry, auto repair, auto body, plumbing, electrical and service sector.
By the mid-1980s, this Armenian population of Kuwait reached its peak of 12,000. During and after Operation Desert Storm, the population diminished as Armenians immigrated to North America. As of 2007, there are roughly 2,500 Armenians in Kuwait.
As a result of the Armenian Genocide, many survivors were forced to first settle in the Levant including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Iraq. In 1958, the first wave of Arab nationalism appeared in Syria and Egypt. This did not sit well with the large Armenian communities in these countries. The establishment of the United Arab Republic triggered a mass exodus of Armenians to Lebanon (from Syria) and to Canada and the United States (from Egypt). Some Syrian-Armenians immigrated to Kuwait, when it was still a British mandate then.
Considerable numbers of Armenians from Iran resided in Kuwait as early as 1960's. Prior to the first gulf war their numbers easily exceeded few thousands.Their population dropped sharply during the war.After the war some of them returned to Kuwait.
The first settlers in Kuwait were those of skilled craftsmen who found work in Kuwait’s light industry, auto repair, auto body, plumbing, electrical and service sector. The settlers thrived in Kuwait and soon, more and more Armenians immigrated to Kuwait.
A new influx of young Armenians created the need to establish an Armenian school in Kuwait, which was spearheaded by Vigen Shaghzo (aka Vicken Shaghzoian). In 1960, founders Vigen and Arshavir Shaghzo and the Armenian community opened its first Armenian School and church in Kuwait. By the mid-1980s, the Armenian community of Kuwait numbered 12,000 people.
Read more about this topic: Armenians In Kuwait
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