The Sultanate of Oman marks 44th national day

The following was contributed by the Omani Embassy to mark the 44th National Day of the Sultanate of Oman. ― Ed.


On Nov. 18 every year, Oman celebrates its National Day, recalling the anniversary of the Omani renaissance that kicked off 44 years ago and still presses ahead toward the achievement of further progress and prosperity for the citizens.

Oman’s citizens have been the driving force behind this renaissance, inspired by the wisdom of H.M. Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, who commands a clear vision about what he wishes to achieve for the country and its people.


Tolerance, understanding and coexistence

Oman has guaranteed religious and intellectual freedom to citizens and residents alike, with the view that these freedoms are human rights that cannot be confiscated by any means.

Oman exerts tangible efforts in enhancing the concept of coexistence and tolerance for which our world today is in great need, more than any other time before. Hence the sultanate set out on a mission to reinforce principles of respect for religious freedoms. This approach has been realized through Oman’s keen efforts to communicate with “Others,” partly through the establishment of interfaith dialogue centers, and partly through the establishment of academic chairs at renowned world universities to propagate the true tenets of Islam ― a religion that advocates peace and calls for peaceful coexistence among nations.

Oman holds a mobile exhibition that tours other countries to convey its experience in religious tolerance and coexistence that prevails across the spectrum of the cosmopolitan population. It also organizes symposiums on propagating the principles of tolerance.

The U.S. State Department’s annual report on religious freedoms of 2013 hailed the level of religious tolerance in Oman toward other faiths among different communities in the country. The report reaffirmed a fact stated by earlier reports: that tolerance is a constant tradition in Oman because it stems from the Omani spirit, which rejects religious fanaticism and sectarian extremism.

In June 2014, the exhibition unveiled various projects, including a fine art exposition that presented to members of the public a set of spiritual values in a blend of calligraphy, decoration and art. Four fine art tableaux incarnating supplication and peace were on display.

Since its launch in 2011 in Germany, the exhibition has toured more than 55 cities around the world. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of relations between Oman and Korea, Seoul has been selected among the many cities around the world to host the exhibition. The exhibition organized by Oman’s Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs, the Omani Embassy and the Korea Foundation is being held from Nov 4-Dec. 6 at the Korea Foundation Gallery, Seoul. The exhibition presents a variety of facets of the modern society in the Sultanate of Oman by offering the visitors insights into the practice of Islam in daily life, along with an examination of contemporary Omani society and the role of women in its society. The exhibition includes manuscripts that date back hundreds of years, tolerance panels, a photo exhibition, fine arts-shadow arts, Arabic calligraphy, a documentary film and modern Omani panels. Also, a campaign titled “#ActForTolerance” a hashtag was launched targeting young men and women from all countries of the world. The aim of the exhibition is to highlight various cultural aspects of Oman and spread the correct message of Islam, which aims for better understanding of our nation with the ultimate aim being to enhance our relations and cooperation.


History, culture and tourism

Oman’s history goes back to 5000 years. Its strategic location between the east and the west was a major part for being the trade route. Therefore, it had connection with various civilizations in the past. Omanis were also known as a sea faring and trading nation.

Oman enjoys an unspoiled culture and traditional lifestyle in almost every aspect of life, which is derived from the Islamic religion. The Omanis are a society committed to kindness, friendship, hospitality and family values as the solid foundation of life. Arabic is the official language; English is considered a second language and widely used in the business sector. Oman has rich cultural values, art, handicrafts and folkloric performances. There are a number of UNESCO-classified World Heritage sites in the country. The Royal Orchestra of Oman is considered one of the best worldwide, and the Royal Opera House recently opened as an example of its appreciation of art.

Oman is a beautiful country with many appealing sites and destinations. The popularity of Oman is mainly due to its geological structure, beautiful landscapes, mountains, deserts and Wadis, with green oases of palm trees, heritage, etc. Oman also has some exotic beaches with crystal clear sparkling water and luxurious resorts, hotels and restaurants. Some of the interesting attractions of Oman include Muscat, Nizwa, Sohar, Salalah and Sur. Oman is rich in nature, culture, heritage as well as interesting activities such as scuba diving, boating, climbing, trekking, camping, golf, shopping and watching whales, dolphins, turtles and birds. In addition, tourists can enjoy camel and horse racing and the souks and villages of Oman, Bedouin tents in the desert and camel riding.

Endowed with nature’s bounty and blessed with beautiful beaches, mountains, deserts, wadis (valleys), and islands, Oman is described as a dream destination and gradually being unveiled in all its glory to the outside world now.

Muscat is the cultural capital of the Arabian world. Oman is blessed with a rich culture and tradition backed by glorious heritage which is visible in the symbols of the past scattered all over the country such as forts, castles and ancient houses. Nature has also chosen Oman to bless with her munificence.

The tourism sector represents one of the mainstays of the national economy. The Sultanate ranks on the fourth place in the International Tourism Market in the GCC Countries, with a total of more than 1.9 Million tourists in 2013. The Ministry of Tourism has organized many events and activities that highlight the features of tourism potential that abound in the natural Omani environment and cultural heritage such as Muscat Festival and the Salalah Tourist Festival.

In order to attract visitors and tourists the Government organizes several festivals such as the Muscat Festival, held in the first quarter of every year, and has been gaining greater popularity among citizens, residents and tourists, particularly from GCC states. The turnout at the Muscat Festival 2014, held from Jan. 23 to Feb. 22, was 1.5 million visitors. 

A major attraction during the summer months in the region is Salalah Tourism Festival, which is highly appreciated by Omanis and other GCC citizens. It is held during the Khareef or monsoon season in the Governorate of Dhofar when cloudy skies prevail throughout the season, while temperatures range between 15 and 22 degree Celsius.


Sultan Qaboos prize for environment protection

The Sultanate, when implementing various plans and projects, works to reinforce concepts of proper handling of environmental resources, since these represent one of the pillars of the country’s renaissance.

Oman Environment Day is celebrated on Jan. 8 every year. It was first marked in January 1996 in recognition of the attention accorded to the environment by Sultan Qaboos.

The program known as “Environment Monitoring” is being implemented as a standard procedure to keep pace with the rapid expansion in industrial, developmental and tourism activities, which might have negative impacts on the environment. Steps are taken to benefit from the expertise of international organizations in the field. In addition, emphasis has also been laid on Eco diversity. There is ongoing cooperation with the U.N. Industrial Development Organization to help conduct studies and projects in the field of ozone layer protection, climate change, applications of renewable energy and ways to diminish the emission of greenhouse gases.

In 2013, the prize was shared by the National Forests Holding of Poland and South Africa’s “Endangered Wildlife Organization.”


Oman-Korea relations

Oman-Korea relations date back more than a thousand years, when Omani merchants met their Korean counterparts on their way to China. In modern times, they established diplomatic relations in 1974. Since then, Oman-Korea relations witnessed a remarkable development in various fields.

Korea is regarded a major trading partner of Oman, and both countries engage in numerous economical exchanges and cooperation. Oman provides large quantities of oil and LNG to Korea.

On the other hand, Korea exports many industrial products, including automobiles, vessels, hi-tech electronics and electric goods to Oman.

Moreover, many Korean companies such as GS, Daewoo, Hyundai, Doosan, Hanjin, Dealim and others are contributing to the development of Omani infrastructure and other major projects.

The volume of trade between the Sultanate of Oman and Korea reached $5.79 billion in 2013. The Sultanate exports to Korea reached $5.3 billion while imports from Korea reached 0.923 billion.

The Oman-Korea Joint Committee is playing a pivotal role in promoting and developing the cooperation between the two countries. During the fourth round of meetings held in Muscat on Aug. 24. During this round they reviewed the results of the committee’s works and the bilateral cooperation in the economic, scientific and cultural fields and means of promoting them, as well as exchanging viewpoints on matters of concern to the two friendly countries.

To reflect the strong ties, an exchange visit from both sides has taken place. Lately, Oman’s minister of Information and minister of Transport and Communication visited Korea.

Oman has also participated in many international events and conferences which have taken place in Korea such as the U.N. Public Service Forum, the 12th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and High Level Segment, International Telecommunication Union, Nuclear forum and others. During the ITU conference Oman has participated in the Technology Gender Equality Streaming award and is a golden sponsor. 


Investment opportunities

Oman has worked to attract investment over the past years by creating a suitable climate to attract foreign investments and stimulate domestic businesses. It improves the economic environment and creates encouraging incentives.

Oman enjoys many investment features, which have enabled it to attract domestic and foreign investment, including security, political stability and the application of a free economic system. It allows foreigners to own projects without any restrictions on the transfer of funds to outside the country, and there is no tax on the income of individuals. Also, it gives uniform tax treatment to all companies, both Omani and foreign institutions, at 12 percent annually.

There are many investment opportunities and major ongoing projects and many more to come, such as a railroad project, a medical city, an education city, ports, airports, tourism projects, petrochemical projects and many other construction projects.

Oman is looking to attract specialized investment in the Sultanate’s ports and special economic zones. As a major manufacturer of high quality machinery, technology and electronics, our focus is to bring an expertise to assist us with the development of major projects in the logistics, fisheries, petrochemical, tourism and manufacturing sectors across the Sultanate.

Oman will see a massive surge of investments with more than $127 billion worth of projects underway. This is in addition to more than $80 billion projects being executed at different stages of completion, while more are scheduled to be launched in the remaining 14 months of this five-year plan.

Four engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for building the $3.6 billion Liwa Plastics project are expected to be floated in January next year. The EPC contracts will be awarded by the fourth quarter of 2015, and the commissioning of the project would start in the first quarter of 2018, which will lead to full commission by the end of the same year

The contract for the Rail Road Network construction of the 207 km Sohar-Buraimi worth of $15 billion is anticipated to be awarded by mid-2015. This in addition to a total of 18 consortiums and joint ventures prequalified to participate in the design and build package of the 2,235 km-long line. Bids are due in by Dec. 21 2014.

Also to be constructed along the route are a number of railway facilities, including stations, freight yards, wayside maintenance bases and maintenance depots.

We would like to invite Korean companies to take the opportunity to participate in these projects and investments. The embassy is keen on providing support and cooperation to Korean companies and look forward their participation and presence in Oman.


40 years of cordial relations

This year marks 40 years of cordial relations between Oman and Korea, On this occasion, the embassy has embarked on a series of events both cultural and economic, some we hold at the embassy, while others we participate in various events which are held in Korea. By the end of this year we aim to have 40 events.

The events are as follows:

The Open house program “Welcome to Oman”: a monthly program held at the embassy where we open the embassy for invited public people as an “open house program” where people from Korean society either students or businessmen or tourist organization or others visit the embassy. The program includes a welcome remark by the ambassador, briefing about Oman in general and culture in particular and the relations between Oman and Korea, view a documentary film about Oman and experience the Omani culture and hospitality. In January and February we hosted three groups each with 35 participants.

Other events are photo exhibitions in various places in Korea throughout the year, student exchange programs and businessmen/women visits.

In March 2014, we held Omani night in Lotte Hotel, organized by Oman LNG. The event included varies cultural performances including fashion show, art design, music and Omani traditional food. Also from March 16-20 former President Lee Myung-bak visited Oman and delivered a lecture at Sultan Qaboos University and participated in the economic forum as guest of honor and keynote speaker.

In June, Oman was the guest of honor at International Seoul Book Fair where Oman participated in a large pavilion, highlighting Omani culture and art. The royal orchestra of Oman was present which performed at the Omani pavilion for three days. We also participated in the Seoul Tourism Fair.

On Nov 4 we opened an exhibition titled “Tolerance, understanding and coexistence: a message from Oman.” The exhibition held at Korea Foundation will last for one month. The exhibition comprises several corners with manuscripts which dates thousands of years, the tolerance panels, campaign #Actfortolerance, photo exhibition, Arabic calligraphy, modern Oman, shadow art. On Nov. 9 we held Omani fashion show at Kintext in coordination with Korea Cultural Association. On Nov. 14 we participated in the embassies cultural day at Seoul City Hall. On Nov. 18 we will hold a reception and cultural exhibition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the cordial relations between Oman and Korea.

Beside these events we are planning to hold economic and investment forums to promote the projects and investment opportunities for the Korean companies in Oman.

These cultural events and business forum act as a bridge between our nations to promote understanding aiming to enhance our relations and cooperation in general.

In conclusion, I would like to say that during these blessed days of the 44th National Day, Oman is proudly witnessing the achievements made by its people under the wise leadership of H.M Sultan Qaboos.

On this occasion and the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the cordial relation between Oman and Korea, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the Korean government and people for the achievements that have been made in various areas, which are being felt everywhere, and Korea’s role in addressing local, regional and international issues, besides hosting international events and conferences.

Also, I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for the Korean people and government for their cooperation, kindness, generosity and hospitality they have extended to us since our arrival in this great and beautiful country. Thanks and appreciation is also extended to the sponsors and The Korea Herald for making this supplement possible.

Last but not least, I would like to invite the Korean people to visit Oman, explore the culture, tourism land marks, adventure and also invite the Korean companies to participate in the investment opportunities of various projects. I’m confident that our relations and cooperation in the coming days will witness further enhancement and development. Ultimately, my heartfelt wishes to Korea for further success and progress and for the development and prosperity of Oman-Korea relations.