The Later Years
After the Invasion, Tareq and Jehan had the opportunity to exhibit two collections abroad. The first was an exhibition of 250 objects, displayed in the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore for twelve years. The other was an exhibition at the Keszthely Museum in Lake Balaton, Hungary, which lasted for ten years and was arranged by Géza Fehévári, the museum’s curator and former Hungarian ambassador to Kuwait. Jehan also began to write more prolifically at this time, writing about her experience during the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, costumes and silver jewellery. By 2001, Tareq and Jehan had built Dar El Cid and its exhibitions halls, which have been the home of all the museums exhibitions since. In 2007, Dar Jehan, the Tareq Rajab Museum of Islamic Calligraphy, had also been built and was opened by then-British ambassador Stuart Laing. Calligraphy had always been Tareq’s greatest interest, and now, he had created a purpose-built home for his collection, expanding the museum to two locations. Tareq and Jehan would go on to publish fifteen books, with the museum publishing a total of twenty-two books in their lifetimes.
Tareq would never stop collecting; even when his health began to decline, crates would continue to arrive until the very end. Jehan and Tareq both passed away in 2015 and 2016, respectively, leaving a lasting imprint on Kuwait, their family and students from the New English School. Their legacy continues to endure through their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.