diwaniya

plural diwaniyas · alternative dewaniya

1. In Kuwait, a guest room where men gather to chat, eat and drink.

   Diwaniyas are a place to network where people from different facets of society gather to discuss topics of interest, form alliances, close business deals or introduce people to associates. Historically, Diwaniyas have consisted of only men but now have evolved into mixed gender or only women.

   2022 July 2, Capt. Melissa Heintz, US Air Force

   1 more example

   Al Salem presented a snapshot of the architecture of diwaniyas in Kuwait, and stressed on how rooted it is in the local culture of hospitality. A Kuwaiti diwaniya is a traditional reception area where business colleagues and guests are received and is a tangible representation of the importance of hospitality in Kuwait’s culture and traditions.

   2008 December 17, Cinatra Fernandes, “Kuwaiti diwaniya rooted in hospitality culture”, in Arab Times

2. A traditional Kuwaiti social gathering in such a room.

   In the past, candidates depended mostly on personal ties with voters at diwaniyas, traditional evening social gatherings.

   2008 May 19, Robert F. Worth, “Islamists Win 24 of 50 Seats in Parliament of Kuwait”, in New York Times