Ways to strengthen role of community cultural centres and libraries reviewed

Muscat: The Media, Tourism, and Culture Committee of the Shura Council hosted representatives from the Omani Society for Writers and Literati, as part of its discussion of a proposal aimed at enhancing the role of community-based cultural centres and libraries and maximising their societal impact on Tuesday.

This comes within the context of growing interest in developing the cultural infrastructure and consolidating its presence across the various wilayats and governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, in a manner that supports intellectual and literary activity and reinforces national identity.

At the outset of the meeting, Abdullah Humaid Al Harthy, head of the Media, Tourism, and Culture Committee of the Shura Council, welcomed the Society’s Chairman, Eng. Saeed Mohammed Al Saqlaawi, along with the accompanying delegation. He emphasised that the Shura Council represents a reflection of the voice of Omani society and serves as a vital platform for raising cultural and intellectual issues. He also highlighted the importance of partnership between official and community institutions in advancing cultural work and achieving integration of efforts to serve this vital sector.

During the meeting, the Society’s Chairman delivered a comprehensive overview of the organisation and its multifaceted roles, highlighting its key initiatives and programmes aimed at fostering the literary movement and supporting writers and intellectuals. He also underscored the Society’s ongoing efforts to support cultural clubs across the Sultanate through organising events, training workshops, and literary competitions. In this regard, he pointed to the Society’s collaboration with various government entities and cultural institutions, which enhances cultural presence in the public sphere and keeps pace with contemporary transformations.

The Chairman also reviewed the most notable achievements of the Society’s members across various literary fields, particularly in fiction and poetry. He noted the emergence of several Omani authors who have secured a distinguished position in both the local and Arab literary scenes through high-quality publications that have received critical acclaim, active participation in book fairs and cultural forums, and the attainment of regional and international awards.

He further affirmed the Society’s pivotal role in nurturing these creative talents through programmes supporting publication, specialised training workshops, and providing platforms for writers to showcase their work and engage with audiences, in addition to encouraging participation in regional and international literary awards. He added that the Society continuously seeks to refine the skills of its members and broaden their intellectual horizons by building cultural partnerships locally and internationally, thereby strengthening the presence of Omani literature within the broader cultural landscape.

The meeting then witnessed an extensive discussion focusing on possible mechanisms of support from various, including direct financial support, the provision of appropriate infrastructure, and the empowerment of cultural initiatives through procedural and legislative facilitation. The discussion also stressed the importance of building an integrated cultural support system that ensures the sustainability of qualitative programs and projects and supports their wider dissemination across Oman.

Members of the Committee also raised a number of questions and interventions focusing on the key challenges facing the Society, whether in terms of resources or institutional structure, as well as potential support mechanisms at various levels, including financial, technical, and legislative support.

The discussion further underscored the need to keep pace with global transformations in the cultural industries by adopting modern models of digital publishing and encouraging innovation in literary content, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Omani cultural production regionally and internationally and ensuring its sustainability amid rapid technological advancements.

Both sides emphasised the importance of developing community cultural centers and libraries as fundamental pillars for disseminating knowledge and promoting reading, while stressing the need to empower them to effectively fulfil their societal role through the provision of a supportive environment and sustainable backing.

The meeting concluded with an emphasis on continuing coordination and cooperation between the Shura Council and the Society to achieve shared goals in advancing the cultural sector and enhancing its contribution to comprehensive development.

The meeting was chaired by Abdullah Humaid Al Harthy and attended by Their Excellencies members of the Committee of the Shura Council.