Friday 26 / July / 2024
Muscat: Oman has taken possession of its pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, and will be ready to welcome guests by 1 October, after all of the construction and final touches have been completed.
Possession of the pavilion was officially taken by Mohsin bin Khamis Al Balushi, advisor to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion (MOCIIP), and Commissioner General of the Sultanate at Expo 2020 Dubai, reported Oman News Agency (ONA).
“Oman seeks to participate alongside the world in finding innovative solutions to meet the challenges facing humanity, and affirm the concepts and principles of sustainable development to ensure a bright future for the coming generations,” he said, at the handover ceremony.
“Oman also strives to work towards maximising our gains at all levels, the most important of which are economic, social, and cultural in nature,” he added.
“We aim to highlight our country as a distinct destination for tourism, and for doing business, as well as highlight our Omani identity, rich legacy and ancient heritage.”
Oman will also seek to promote investment opportunities across various sectors, and during the expo, interact with people from all over the world, and specialists in various fields.
The country’s participation at Expo 2020 involves organising and attending a series of events over six months, including those in the fields of science, art, culture and the economy.
Oman’s pavilion – which is built in the shape of a frankincense tree – has been built according to the plans drawn up in coordination with the organising committee and relevant contracting companies.
However, because of the COVID-19 , construction of the pavilion had to be rescheduled, which was in keeping with postponing the expo for a year.
Additional precautions were taken while building the pavilion, shipping the required materials to Dubai, and during its operation, to ensure the safety of workers, management staff, and visitors to the expo.
A number of initiatives will be spearheaded from the pavilion, including a special women’s pavilion to Celebrate Omani Women’s Day next October, as well as plans to organise a cruise for Shabab Oman II, the country’s friendship yacht.
A number of government and private-sector organisations, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Ministry of Social Development, the SME Development Authority, and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry have collaborated in making Omani products available to visitors at the expo.
These will be available at a store that features more than 2,000 products made by Omani craftsmen, home business owners, and women from rural areas, with the aim of promoting and selling them at this vital global event. Oman will take part at Expo 2020, which runs from 1 October, 2021, to 31 March, 2022, among 192 countries, under the slogan ‘Connecting Minds and Creating the Future’.
The frankincense tree pavilion of the country will play an important role in highlighting Oman’s place as a trading power with the other civilisations of the ancient world.
The design tells the story of Oman throughout history, and the main idea behind the Sultanate’s participation is to embody the civilisational and human achievements of Oman throughout history, in addition to highlighting the Sultanate’s current achievements, its renewed renaissance and future aspirations under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, may God protect him.
