Sayyid Shihab launches encyclopaedia at ROHM
The 1,700-page encyclopaedia, spread over three large volumes, contains detailed information about the mountain ranges of the Sultanate
MUSCAT: Under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence, Oman Mountains Encyclopaedia was launched at the Royal Opera House Muscat.
Also, present was Mohammad Al Zubair, who supervised this valuable project as per the directives of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimour – may the Almighty rest his soul in peace.
The 1,700-page encyclopedia, spread over three large volumes, contains detailed information about the mountain ranges of the Sultanate, highlighting their geographical and geological importance, their role in the development of the nation as well as the settlements and unique agricultural and biological diversity.
The encyclopaedia covers 409 mountains in the Sultanate, with heights ranging from 30 metres (Jebel Musanjab, Wilayat of Masirah, South Al Sharqiyah Governorate) to 3,009 metres. Jebel Shams (Wilayat of Al Hamra, Al Dakhiliyah Governorate) is considered one of the highest mountains on the Arabian Peninsula.
Commenting on the launch of the encyclopaedia, Mohammad Al Zubair said, “I have a firm belief – and I think many share the samethat the mountains of Oman are the most significant undiscovered treasures in the Sultanate. Not only for the wealth they hold underground, but also because of their natural beauty, which lends itself to tourism promotion. Many countries rely on their to
pography to develop unique tourism products that attract certain categories of tourists from all over the world.
“In Oman, we are blessed with a unique natural terrains, including our mountain chains with their special formations and rare biodiversity. The Mountains of Oman will shed light on these mountains and empower entities such as the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, and others to properly make use of this unique natural resource.
“This journey began under the guidance of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimour – may the Almighty rest his soul in peace –, who foresaw the need for an accurate scientific reference on the mountains of Oman and its various formations, to act as a source of information for researchers, students as well as entities involved in the country’s social and economic development.
“After I was commissioned by the late His Majesty to supervise the project, we gathered a group of more than 100 experts in the fields of geography, geology, agriculture, livestock and water resources, as well as history and other areas, to develop the content for this huge encyclopaedia, a project that took years. Today, we are honoured to gift it to the nation and the memory of our late leader, who initiated the project before he passed,but continues to live on in our hearts and memory,” he added.
The scientific committee supervising the encyclopaedia included scientific experts across various fields, working together under the helm of Project Director and Co-Chief Editor Dr. Said Mohammed Al Saqri, Minister of Economy, and Co-Chief Editor Dr. Birgit Mershen, Fellow Researcher in Oriental and Islamic Studies- Ruhr University Bochum in Germany.
The committee also included Dr. Abdullah Al Ghafri (Head Falaj Research Unit- Nizwa University), Lieutenant Colonel Yousuf Al Nabhani (Acting Director of Geographic Information Services -National Survey Authority/Ministry of Defence), Dr. Annette Patzelt (Director of Science- Oman Botanic Garden), Dr. Andrew Spalton (Adviser for Environmental Affairs - Office of the Minister/Diwan of Royal Court), Dr. Talal Al Hosni (Head of Earth Sciences Department- Sultan Qaboos University), Prof. Dr.Sobhi Nasir( UNESCO Chair for Ophiolite Studies, Director Earth Sciences Research Centre- Sultan Qaboos University), and Dr. Ali Al Rajhi)Director General of Geological Surveys and Research –(former) Public Authority for Mining.
Commenting on the efforts made to produce the encyclopaedia’s content, Dr. Said Al Saqri said, “We thought in the beginning that this project would not take more than one or two years to complete.”