Notable Figures

Ahmed Al-Bisher bin Yusuf bin Ahmed bin Muhammad bin Saleh bin Bisher bin Muhammad Al-Roumi

Ahmed Al-Bisher Al-Roumi was born in 1905 and passed away in 1982, completing the seventy-seventh year of his life, which he spent serving his country in various fields. He devoted the majority of his time to study, research, and continuous learning, recording every idea or observation that crossed his mind, particularly those related to the heritage of Kuwait, the work of its people, and its history. He relied on his keen observation skills and strong understanding of matters for this purpose.

He is considered one of the notable figures of Kuwait, playing a significant role in all activities related to the advancement and progress of the country in fields such as culture, education, and training. Additionally, he made significant contributions in other areas of public service. His love for his country and his instinctive feeling of its need for the efforts of its loyal citizens motivated him to undertake great responsibilities in this regard.

Ahmed Al-Bisher Al-Roumi worked in various fields, including personal endeavors such as trade, diving, and travel, like his fellow countrymen at that time. He also engaged in public work, which he began in 1942 after giving up his personal ventures to devote himself to governmental work. In that year, he became a teacher at Al-Sharqiya Elementary School until 1947, then moved to work as an employee at the Ministry of Justice from January 1954 until December 31, 1954. Afterward, he became the head of the Government Property Department at Kuwait Municipality from 1955 to 1956, and then he moved to the Ministry of Finance, where he settled and rose through its ranks until he became an assistant undersecretary of the ministry. His tenure there extended from August 1, 1956, until February 15, 1969.

In addition to his official work in the positions mentioned above, he engaged in other personal activities that indicated his participation in public work in the country. For example, he was a member of the committee overseeing government board elections in the 1950s, a member of the Board of Education in the early 1950s, a member of the Foreigners Census Committee established in 1943, and a member of the Citizenship Investigation Committee formed in the early 1960s. As a member of the Board of Education, he was also part of the Construction Council overseeing building projects in the country. He was a member of the committee for writing the history of Kuwait, formed by the Ministry of Guidance and Information (currently the Ministry of Information), and a member of the Arab Heritage Committee. He also participated in judging cultural competitions and reviewing books for the Ministry of Information and the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Literature, in addition to reviewing some books for the Ministry of Education.

His work produced two types of outputs:

The first type: His lifelong participation in various activities to which he was invited to contribute. As mentioned earlier, he was a member of several diverse committees, and those who follow his life journey will find that he began engaging in public work and participating in government committees from his youth. As for his official work, it is sufficient to say that he was a teacher who provided an exemplary image of a dedicated teacher during his teaching career. Later, he moved through many positions, the last of which was his work in the Ministry of Finance as an assistant undersecretary for state property affairs, retiring while still in this role.

The second type: His writings, of which several works were published during his life and after his death, including:

1. “Articles about Kuwait”: Published in 1966 by Al-Amal Library in Kuwait, this book contains several articles discussing Kuwait’s history from various perspectives.

2. “Diwan of Saqr Al-Shabib”: A collection he compiled, edited, and introduced with a lengthy discussion about the poet and his poetry. It was published in 1968 by Al-Amal Library.

3. “Kuwaiti Proverbs in Comparison”: A large and valuable book, whose first volume was published by the Ministry of Information in Kuwait in 1978. Its four volumes were completed by 1984.

4. Ahmed Al-Bisher Al-Roumi played a prominent role in the publication of the “Diwan of Poet Fahd Boursli”. He gathered a large number of poems for it and handed them to his daughter, Wasmiya, who took the initiative to publish the Diwan. Al-Roumi wrote an introduction about the poet’s life and the themes of his poetry.

5. “Sijil Al-Gharib” (“The Record of the Stranger”): A book that was preserved among his papers, in which he compiled much poetry and prose during his continuous readings.

6. “Dictionary of Marine Terminology in Kuwait”: One of the most important books in this field, published in 1996, with the printing and presentation supervised by the Kuwait Center for Research and Studies to enhance its utility.

From the book “Sijil Al-Gharib” by Ahmed Al-Bisher Al-Roumi.

Presented, edited, and annotated by Dr. Yaqoub Yusuf Al-Ghunaim.