‘Illuminations from Oman’ exhibition opens in National Museum of Aleppo

ON FRIDAY July 29, 2022, the National Museum inaugurated, at the National Museum of Aleppo, the exhibition and activities “Illuminations from Oman.” This inauguration came within the framework of cultural and museum cooperation between the National Museum and the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, according to the memorandum of understanding, which was concluded in Damascus on November 1, 2021. The exhibition, which was held in the Damascus National Museum, will be transferred to the Aleppo National Museum. The exhibition will be open for the public for six months.

The exhibition and the accompanying events were inaugurated under the patronage of Her Excellency Dr. Lubana Mushouh, the Minister of Culture of the Syrian Arab Republic, with the participation of the Governor of Aleppo, the head of the Aleppo City Council, a member of the Executive Office of the Culture and Tourism sector, the Director of the Aleppo Antiquities, the Director of the Aleppo Museum, heads of departments, a number of interested persons, researchers, experts from Aga Khan Network and engineers restoration of Umayyad Mosque and a number of local and international media outlets.

The Omani side was represented by representative from the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in the Syrian Arab Republic and their accompanying delegations.

Her Excellency Dr. Lubana Mushouh, the Syrian Minister of Culture, also toured Beit Ajqbash with the Omani side to observe the progress of rehabilitation works within Ajqbash, which is one of the ancient Aleppine palaces.

H.E. Dr. Lubana Mushouh, the Syrian Minister of Culture said: “The National Museum of Aleppo, which was restored in 2019, receives today the first exhibition of Omani artefacts and heritage, which were displayed in the Damascus National Museum for six consecutive months. So we thought that the people of Aleppo can have the chance to see them and get acquainted with the Omani civilization.

The Minister of Culture indicated that the Omani artefacts represent artifacts dating back to different eras and gradual in antiquity to the modern era, with a photo exhibition of some archaeological sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. H. E. pointed that this valuable exhibition shows the relationbetween the successive civilisations of both countries, Syria and Oman, especially in light of the strong ties that unite the two peoples culturally, civilisationally, and commercially.

On the cultural exchange between the two countries, the Minister of Culture indicated that a similar exhibition was held on Omani land. The exhibition presents multiple collectibles from the Damascus Museum and Syrian museums in general. This significant cultural event has received clear and wide interest which indicates the convergence between the two people, and this is a forgone conclusion. These events were supposed to be held with all Arab countries, but in general the relations between Syria and Oman are distinguished fraternal relations dominated by understanding. H. E. thanked the brothers in Oman for the continuous support to Syria in all fields.

H.E. Jamal bin Hassan alMoosawi, Secretary-General of the National Museum, stated that the exhibition “Illuminations from Oman” in Aleppo is the first museum international exhibition to be held at the National Museum of Aleppo, since the years of the crisis imposed upon them. The exhibition comes in the context of the National Museum initiative entitled Exhibition and Events “Oman Day”, after the success that was achieved at the National Museum of Damascus, which was inaugurated last year on November 1, 2021.

The inauguration of the exhibition complements the process of joint cooperation in the cultural and museum field between the two countries. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to introduce the Syrians to the Omani civilisation, in addition to highlighting the common factors that have brought the two countries since the Iron Age. Which were represented in the frankincense pathways that stretched from Dhofar to Palmyra, Bosra, Aleppo and other cities of the Levant all the way to Byzantium, and to the establishment of the Islamic civilization in which Oman and Syria have sheltered, to present their own distinct civilised models, leading to the distinguished bilateral relations at the present time.

The exhibition includes Omani archaeological artefacts, which numbered about 32 articraft.