no chewing gum... from the AUK President

Dear AUK Community:

August 21/22 marks the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Please be aware that all expatriates resident in Kuwait must observe the Kuwaiti Law No. 24/1968 which prohibits eating, drinking or smoking in public during fasting hours. The prohibition applies also to chewing gum in public.

According to this law, a penalty of up to one month detention and a KD 100 fine may be imposed on anyone who eats, drinks, or smokes in public during fasting hours or anyone who forces, helps or induces such public displays. In addition to this, any public facility used for such purposes may also be closed down for up two months.

The 2009 fasting hours are from dawn to sundown, beginning this year approximately at 3:55 a.m. and ending at approximately 6:23 p.m. early in the month and decreasing to 4:15 a.m. until 5:49 p.m. at the end of the month, according to the timing of the dawn and sunset prayers in Aujairy (Ojeiri) calendar. Ramadan is expected to end on September 19 and will be followed by the Eid Al-Fitr holiday.

On the AUK campus, the faculty lounge on the top floor of the Sciences building and the conference room in the Liberal Arts building are available to non-Muslim employees during the day.

Marina A. Tolmacheva

President