Oman Pride: A book that exhibits charity, innovation

Muscat: Two years after the #OmanPride series was created to highlight the values of charity, teamwork, humility, innovation and excellence in Oman, the Times of Oman has launched a special collectors’ edition book to showcase the wonderful achievements of Oman’s residents.
Whether they’ve been born in the Sultanate, or have come here from afar, the achievements of the individuals in this book, titled #OmanPride – Inspiring Stories from the Sultanate, are sure to motivate others to follow in their footsteps.
The book features inspiring stories about the trio of Ibtisam Al Salmi, Marwa Al Khalfi and Tamdhur Al Balushi, who formed Oman’s first all-women’s sailing team, John Burridge, the man who discovered Omani goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi, Zaher Al Abdissalam, who travelled to Africa to share his love of Islam and Arabic, and Jacinta Machado, who helped organise reliefs for countless needy people, both inside Oman and overseas. All these people have something in common: a need to contribute to the greater good.
“This is the first Oman Pride annual in which we’re privileged to put a spotlight on some of the Sultanate’s most special people and to share their inspirational stories with others,” said Richard Pakenham, chief sales officer of the Times of Oman.
“The Oman Pride initiative was launched in 2015 by Muscat Media Group to celebrate the achievements of remarkable Omanis and expatriates in the Sultanate,” he added.
“Since then, there have been thousands of articles written by our journalists, which have appeared in the Times of Oman and the Al Shabiba national newspapers, and online channels. The OmanPride 2018 annual is a collection of just a few.
“We are planning a national Oman Pride Awards event later this year, where people can vote for their favourite Oman Pride stars,” added Pakenham.
The locals and expatriates featured in the book come from all walks of life-- teachers, artists or entrepreneurs, and even those who selflessly keep Oman’s roads and footpaths neat and tidy. All of them are an inspiration for those who want to bring about a positive change in people’s lives.
A number of major non-profit, public and private organisations have come together to support this new #OmanPride book. These include Orpic, the Saud Bahwan Group, Muna Noor, the Zubair Corporation, Dar Al Atta’a, and Ooredoo.