OMAN JOINS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATING WORLD HERITAGE DAY

The celebration highlights the historical, archaeological sites, and community culture in the Wilayat of Sur as an authentic cultural tourism component

The Sultanate of Oman represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) marked the global celebrations of World Heritage Day, which falls on 18th April of each year.

This year’s celebration of World Heritage Day, which comes under the theme of “Discover and experience diversity”, coincides with the launch of the programme of Sur the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2024, to highlight the historical, archaeological sites, and the community culture in the Wilayat of Sur as authentic components of cultural tourism.

Commenting on this occasion Eng. Ibrahim bin Said Al Kharusi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, for Heritage said: “The World Heritage Day is an opportunity to shed the spotlight on our ancient cultural heritage, which reflects our historical and civilization roots, as well enhances the global understanding of the diversity of heritage and encourages cultural interaction between different societies.”

“The celebration activities will introduce the tangible and intangible cultural heritage, enhance the values of belonging to an authentic, rooted culture, strengthen the awareness of the importance of heritage, its protection and preservation, and encourage the communities’ participation in protecting, documenting and highlighting heritage globally,” he added.

The celebration also aims to encourage cultural heritage research and discoveries and create a community partnership to enhance identity and citizenship.

He clarified that the MHT has set a programme to celebrate this occasion at the Wilayat of Sur in the Governorate of Al Sharqiyah South. The programme includes an exhibition and educational workshop for children on the basics of archaeological excavation, practical experience in excavating some pieces, a decoupage session by using decoration paper and writing names with ancient Omani symbols. He emphasised that the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism pays great attention to protecting and preserving heritage through documenting and restoring historical and archaeological sites, implementing archaeological excavations, registering the discovered archaeological finds, highlighting the sites globally and rehabilitating historical sites by offering them as investment projects to contribute to the growth of the local economy within the Oman 2040 Vision.

The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has registered about 36,000 archaeological sites, while the number of historical monuments reached 3,525, and the restored landmarks reached 366 landmarks, till the end of 2023, across the governorates of the Sultanate of Oman to protect them from extinction to remain a witness of the Omani civilization throughout the ages.

It is worth noting that, World Heritage Day, was proposed by The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in 1982, and later approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1983. The celebration aims to enhance awareness of the importance of human cultural heritage and multiply the necessary efforts to protect and preserve heritage while highlighting the co-responsibility among countries of the world to preserve human heritage.