'Oman: The Jewel of Arabia” to be launched on Nov 25

Muscat: An initiative builds on the long-standing partnership between the Sultanate of Oman and the United Kingdom (UK) ‘Oman: The Jewel of Arabia’ will be formally inaugurated on Monday, November 25, in London.

Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth of the Sultanate of Oman, Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, and Royal Highness Prince William, the Prince of Wales, will patronize the event.

The expedition, set to commence in January 2025, will follow a historic path starting from Ras Al Hadd in the Wilayat of Sur, located in the South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, and will trace the coastline to the city of Salalah in the Dhofar Governorate. This month-long journey aims to unite Omani youth and British travel enthusiasts for a one-of-a-kind cultural exchange.

The initiative is designed to enhance young people’s abilities in exploration, the preservation of heritage, and eco-friendly practices, while also paying tribute to British explorer Bertram Thomas, who was the first European to traverse the Rub’ Al Khali desert (The Empty Quarter) in 1928, utilizing ancient Omani trade routes.

At the launch event, attendees will have the opportunity to view artifacts from Thomas’s significant expedition.

This project is led by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is executed through the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in the United Kingdom.

The journey will be captured in a film and a book, which will be published after the expedition concludes, documenting the experiences of the participants along the way.