Kuwait: In celebration of Kuwait National Day, Burgan Bank announced the release of “Beladona Helwa”: a new song and accompanying video paying homage to Kuwait and the deep-rooted love for the homeland. Performed by a group of young and aspiring artists, the song was part of the modern re-imagining and reprisal of “Al-Sindbad Al-Bahri” (Sindbad the Sailor), the much-loved classic children’s play and the first play of its kind in Kuwait and the region. In the decades since its first release, “Beladona Helwa” has become an iconic song: a cultural landmark and a symbol of national pride that still lives on today as a reminder of the golden days.

In the first hours of its online release, the video for “Beladona Helwa” generated high traffic, with over 12 million views across various streaming platforms. The song also reached number one in streaming on Anghami in Kuwait. Commenting on this runaway success, Mrs. Kholoud Redha AlFeeli, Deputy General Manager - Marketing and Communications at Burgan Bank, said: “There is simply no place like home, and no stronger sense of belonging than that of belonging to the homeland. As part of our National Day celebrations, we are proud to unveil our reimagining of “Beladona Helwa”, which we dedicate to everyone and their love for our beloved Kuwait. The song becoming a hit nationwide, including hitting the top spot on Anghami, is a testament to its emotional value and staying power. We are simply delighted to be able to keep this song alive for future generations.”

Adding: “Since its debut in the 70s as part of “Al-Sindbad Al-Bahri”,, “Beladona Helwa” has become a touch stone in Kuwaiti culture. The play presented so many important values and educational messages, especially about the importance of loving one’s homeland. Therefore, as part of our revival of “Al-Sindbad Al-Bahri”, we made sure to also introduce “Beladona Helwa” in its new, modern-take performed by an ensemble of  young artists, dedicated from Burgan Bank to the Kuwaiti people as a token of appreciation to Kuwaiti art.”

Al Feeli added: “I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this work of art, including our partners, Trend Productions, for their cooperation and commitment, starting with the elaborate details that went into the modernized performances of “Al-Sindbad Al-Bahri”, which was met with a feel of nostalgic warmth and enthusiasm. We also thank them for their efforts in producing the new “Beladona Helwa” TVC, in celebration of Kuwait National Day. We would also like to extend our thanks to the talented director and multi-disciplinary artist, Bader Al Shuaibi, as well as the exemplary artists, including Yagoub Abdullah, Talal Sam, Mansour Al Bloushi, Talal Bassem, Shaikha Al Aslawi, Al Ghaliyah, Khaled Al Kandari, and many more who stood behind the great success of the play and our National Day video.”

On his part, actor and lead singer Talal Sam said: “I would like to express my sincere thanks to Burgan Bank for this special experience. It was my pleasure and honor to be selected to play Al-Sindbad Al-Bahri, which is a central and vital role in the play, alongside my peers who represent some of the finest young artists in the scene. I was also delighted to perform the most iconic song of the play, “Beladona Helwa”, which perfectly captures the nostalgia of the past as well as the celebratory vibes of Kuwait National Day – an iconic song that occupies a special place in the hearts of many Kuwaiti generations, myself included.”

“Beladona Helwa”, written by the esteemed late poet and journalist AbdulAmir Eissa and composed by Ahmed Al-Babtain, was first performed in 1978 during the debut performance of the pioneering children’s play “Al-Sindbad Al-Bahri”. The original play featured a wide range of megastars, such as Abdulrahman Al-Aqel, Istiqlal Ahmad, Khaled Al Obaid, Huda Hussein, Raja Mohammed, Mohammed Al Saree’, and Mohammad Al Mesbah.

As part of its expansive social responsibility program, Burgan Bank is set to continue its unwavering efforts to sponsor and produce works of art that reinforce the Kuwaiti audiences’ pride and love for our beloved country.

About Burgan Bank

Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is a Kuwait-based conventional bank with a significant focus on the corporate and financial institution sectors. From its earliest days, the Bank has significantly sought to diversify its offering to cater to its growing retail and private banking customer base.

Burgan Bank has majority-owned subsidiaries, collectively known as the “Burgan Bank Group”, in the MENAT region. This Group is supported by one of the largest branch networks across the region and includes: Gulf Bank Algeria – AGB (Algeria), Tunis International Bank – TIB (Tunisia), and Burgan Bank Turkey. Furthermore, Burgan Bank has a presence in the UAE through its corporate office, Burgan Financial Services Limited.

The Bank has continuously improved its performance over the years, through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base. The adoption of state-of-the-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region. Moreover, Burgan Bank’s brand has been built on a foundation of real values – trust, commitment, excellence, and progression – which serve as a reminder of the high standards to which the Bank always aspires. In fact, the Bank’s core philosophy of ‘Driven by You’ is the foundation on which its products and services are continuously developed.

The Bank obtained the ISO/IEC 27001: 2013 Information Security Management Systems certificate (ISMS) and was re-certified with the prestigious ISO 9001:2015, making it one of the few banks in the GCC and Kuwait to receive such certification for five consecutive times. The Bank also has the distinction of being the only Bank in Kuwait to have won the JP Morgan Chase Quality Recognition Award for twenty consecutive years. Moreover, in a testament to its dedication to the development of its human capital, Burgan Bank is the first bank in Kuwait to be certified as a Great Place to Work®, earning the distinct honor in 2023.

Burgan Bank is a majority-owned subsidiary of KIPCO (Kuwait Projects Company), one of the largest holding companies in the MENA region.