Latest news with #HESayyidSaidbinSultanalBusaidi
Muscat Daily
28-04-2025
- General
- Muscat Daily
Oman steps up cultural diplomacy with new project
Muscat – H H Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, has issued a decision to form the Omani Cultural Laboratories project team. The project is a joint effort between Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MCSY), Cultural Club and Bait al Zubair Foundation. It aims to adopt cultural programmes and encourage partnerships between government bodies, private organisations and academic institutions, both locally and internationally. The project is part of MCSY's broader cultural strategy focused on creativity, renewal and promotion of Omani identity on the global stage. Omani Cultural Laboratories will present the sultanate's cultural heritage through exhibitions, research projects, intellectual forums and international collaborations. These are designed to highlight Oman's civilisational legacy and contribute to global cultural dialogue. 'The decision comes within the framework of strengthening the national cultural movement, and enhancing partnerships and integration between various cultural institutions,' said H E Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidi, MCSY Undersecretary and General Supervisor of the project. 'It underscores the importance of supporting cultural development programmes in the sultanate, consolidating Oman's cultural identity and enhancing its presence in regional and global forums.' Dr Mohammed bin Ali al Balushi, Chairman of Board of Directors of Cultural Club and Vice-Chairman of the executive team, welcomed the project. 'The Omani cognitive memory carries cultural content and intellectual achievements that must be communicated abroad,' he said. 'It is our collective responsibility to engage in projects such as these cultural laboratories to contribute to the knowledge exchange movement in the world.' Dr Mohammed Abdul Karim al Shehhi, Head of the executive team, stressed the importance of preserving and sharing Oman's intellectual heritage. 'We appreciate the ministry's continued commitment to providing the means to transform Omani cultural heritage into a source of knowledge for interested parties everywhere,' he said. 'This cooperation between Bait al Zubair and Cultural Club reinforces a tradition where efforts are unified under the umbrella of the state, translating its vision and aspirations.' MCSY reaffirmed its commitment to supervising the project directly, aiming to strengthen Oman's identity and enhancing its cultural visibility regionally and globally via cultural diplomacy. H H Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said
Muscat Daily
01-03-2025
- Business
- Muscat Daily
Musannah Sports City design complete
MoL to provide 14,000 job-linked training opportunities; caution urged in decision regarding early retirement age Muscat – The final design of Oman's highly anticipated Sports City project in Musannah has been completed, marking a key step in the country's sports infrastructure development. The announcement was made by H E Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Culture in Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, during the third edition of 'Together We Progress' forum last week. H E Sayyid Said confirmed that the project is now in the crucial phase of finalisation of its main components, with focus on securing funds. He added that the ministry is also prioritising investments in the creative industries, working alongside other government agencies to boost the cultural sector. The Sports City will include multiple key facilities, with a 25,000-seat football stadium as its centrepiece. The project aligns with Oman's national sports strategy, which was updated in mid-2024 and focuses on four main pillars – community engagement, sports development, governance of sports bodies, and the sports economy. H E Sayyid Said emphasised the fact that completion of Sports City and its flagship football stadium is part of broader efforts to develop Oman's sports sector and prepare it for regional competitions. Employment-linked training At the forum, H E Dr Mahad bin Said bin Ali Baowain, Minister of Labour, announced that the government will provide 14,000 training opportunities in 2025, up from 9,000 in 2024. The training initiatives will include both on-the-job training and employment-linked programmes to equip the workforce with skills relevant to today's job market. The minister informed that government sector hiring is based on actual needs, with health, education and military sectors accounting for about 12,000 jobs annually. H E Sayyid Salim Musallam al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Human Resources Development in Ministry of Labour (MoL), highlighted the government's focus on vocational education and training to improve employment outcomes in both public and private sectors. He noted that vocational training is increasingly aligned with market demands and that Oman's vocational education system is under continuous evaluation. Retirement age The forum also discussed the impact of retirement age decisions on the financial sustainability of the Social Protection Fund (SPF). H E Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals and Chairman of the SPF Board, stressed the need for accurate studies before making changes to the retirement age. He warned that lowering the retirement age could increase pressure on the fund, requiring higher contributions to meet pension obligations. With insufficient studies currently available, he urged caution and a thorough review to ensure long-term financial sustainability.
