Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Muscat: Committed to sustainable development to achieve economic growth, social inclusion, and protect the country’s environment, a national-level event dedicated to sustainability is being organised in the Sultanate.
Hosted under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Oman Sustainability Week (OSW) was inaugurated on the evening of 14 March 2022 at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) in an elaborate ceremony that witnessed the presence of distinguished officials from various ministries, top-level delegates and industry leaders.
Hosted by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and organised by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO)and CONNECT, OSW is an innovative programme that advocates the importance of adopting sustainable practices for the long-term progress of the country. The event is also supported and sponsored by ministries, government bodies, and leading local and international companies.
Following the official ceremony that marked the commencement of OSW, HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth inaugurated the OSW Expo at OCEC’s Exhibition Hall 1, accompanied by several high-ranking officials.
Speaking about the event, Eng. Abdul-Amir Al Ajmi, PDO’s External Affairs and Value Creation Director,said: “We would like to thank HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said for gracing this event and being a key patron of sustainable development in the Sultanate. The scale of events at OSW emphasises the importance the Sultanate places on sustainability and its commitment to integrate sustainable practices in every industry, leverage the rapidly evolving frontiers of knowledge and technology, and inculcate a sustainability mindset in the community.
“As we take monumental strides to shift towards a low carbon, green and circular economy, the need to develop an inclusive, coherent strategy to achieve sustainability has become more essential. We are confident that the series of activities at OSW will result in a dynamic shift in mindset and encourage even more businesses and individuals to play an active role in contributing to the nation’s sustainability goals.”
With a keen focus on achieving sustainability in areas of energy and water demands in the Sultanate as well in an endeavour to catalyse initiatives geared at the protection of the environment, OSW is in clear alignment with the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and Oman Vision 2040.
By injecting international sustainability best practices into the local community, encouraging local businesses to spearhead innovation in the sector, and highlighting potential investment opportunities, the series of events at OSW aim to drive transformational change in the country.
While the Oman Sustainability Week Expo on 14, 15 and 16 March is a dedicated exhibition featuring the latest sustainability technologies, solutions, and initiatives from across the world, the International Sustainability Resources and Technology Conference (ISRTC) on the same dates is another key event that is geared at connecting local and global stakeholders to foster constructive debate and enhance cross-collaboration.
Meanwhile, the C-level thought leadership, Gaia Summit, on 14 and 15 March, organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), sheds light on encouraging participants to engage in meaningful dialogue with experts in the industry as well as like-minded peers to develop new relationships and a community with whom to engage in shaping the future of energy. In addition, the OSW site visits for PDO, be’ah, BP, OQ, and Nama Group, slated for 17 March, will offer attendees an opportunity to visit projects that are at the forefront of building a sustainable environment across the country.
Earlier, an award ceremony, the OSW Awards, was held on 13 March to honour the vital contributions made by businesses towards sustainability.
With the active participation of over 100 companies and the attendance of high-level professionals including industry stakeholders, policymakers, sustainability experts, and leaders from Oman, the GCC, and other parts of the world, OSW envisions to present Oman as a model for sustainable development.
The OSW Expo is free to attend. To know more, visit www.omansustainabilityweek.com
