Pranab Mukherjee with Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed The Oman embassy in New Delhi has embarked upon a unique project to bring peoples and cultures together to promote global peace and harmony. It is the first Arab embassy in India to take the lead in opening its doors for cultural activities and promoting people to people interaction. It’s dynamic ambassador, HE Sheikh Humaid bin Ali Al Ma’ani has opened the embassy doors for a host of activity.
India Through My Eyes, was one such effort. The Ambassador, an art lover himself, held a successful art exhibition with artists from nine countries, which included diplomats from different countries. Well known artists from France, Egypt, India, and other countries gathered to showcase their art. The gathering proved to be a good meeting ground for people from different cultures, professions and backgrounds to mingle and exchange ideas. As the suave ambassador put it, “it is necessary to bring peoples of the world together for better understanding between individuals and communities to foster better understanding. Against the background of political and economic uncertainty in the world, closer ties between people will help in promoting peace and harmony.” A calendar was also culled from the paintings on display. The proceeds from the sale of the paintings and the calendar was donated to the Chesire Home for the destitute.
His Magesty Sultan Qaboos, who assumed the Oman throne in 1970, is also playing a role in building Oman by motivating Omanies to work hard towards development and breaking down the barriers between Oman and other nations.
A huge fundraising event was also organised at the residence of the Omani ambassador last month for the Delhi Common-wealth Women Association (DCWA). More than 100 women from different European and Asian countries attended the fund raising lunch organised by Azza Almaani, wife of the Ambassador. She also visited the DCWA medical centre and nursery school in Zamroodpur. This was in tune with the embassy’s objective to diversify its role as a focal point between Oman and India by focusing on other areas of cooperation, besides political and economic. The fund raising charity was organised to encourage other missions and embassies to interact and help raise funds for the charitable hospital and school for the underprivileged.
While vigorously pursuing its economic goals for greater prosperity, Oman is also committed to greater cultural and social development of its people and people of other nations. Oman has become the first Arab Gulf State to obtain investment resources from international money markets with a US$225 million, five-year Eurobond issue, which will raise the country’s profile among international investors. The World Health Organisation Report 2000 placed Oman as the World Number One in terms of its health system and utilisation of financial resources. “The prosperity and higher earnings will be used for the welfare of the people of our country and those of other regions,” the ambassador announced.