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Observer
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
Oman unveils immersive virtual pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka
OSAKA: The Sultanate of Oman has introduced an innovative virtual platform as part of its participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan. Developed by the Omani tech company U-Verse, the platform is seamlessly integrated into Oman's national pavilion and offers visitors an immersive digital experience that bridges heritage and future aspirations. According to Ibrahim Bani Araba, Assistant Director General of the Arts Directorate at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and a member of the pavilion's Technical Committee, the virtual platform leverages cutting-edge extended reality and artificial intelligence technologies. Created in collaboration with a group of Omani innovators, the platform reflects the country's vision for technological advancement and openness to global innovation. "This is more than a digital showcase — it's a gateway to Oman's limitless potential," said Bani Araba in a statement to the Oman News Agency. 'It merges our rich cultural legacy with forward-looking innovation, in line with Oman Vision 2040.' The platform features a wide array of interactive content, allowing users to explore Omani culture through digitized manuscripts, visual and audio arts, and modern representations of Omani theatre and cinema. Notably, it includes a creative blend of Japanese manga and Omani cultural elements — an effort aimed at engaging younger audiences and presenting tradition in a contemporary format. It also serves as a promotional tool for Oman's higher education sector and highlights investment opportunities in advanced technologies, underscoring the Sultanate's strategic focus on building a knowledge-based economy and strengthening global cooperation in research and innovation. Bani Araba emphasized that the U-Verse platform, developed entirely by Omanis, represents a unifying space that fosters cultural exchange and celebrates innovation and creativity. Importantly, this virtual initiative is designed to live on beyond the Expo, offering a sustainable and accessible window into Oman's cultural identity and future ambitions through a dynamic digital environment. — ONA
Observer
25-03-2025
- Business
- Observer
Oman announces its readiness to participate in Expo 2025 Osaka
The Sultanate of Oman has announced its readiness to participate in Expo 2025 Osaka, unveiling the details of its national pavilion during a press conference held on Tuesday, at the Intercity Hotel in Muscat. The event was attended by representatives from various participating and supporting organizations. The press conference included a visual presentation by Reem Al Shanfari, a member of the Oman Pavilion Management Team at Expo 2025 Osaka, and the International Communications Officer, about the Omani Pavilion, which has an area of 1,763.22 square meters and a construction area of 668 square meters. The pavilion's design was inspired by the country's natural and topographical diversity, as well as the Omani people's adaptation to their natural surroundings, focuses on three main elements of 'land, water, and people'. It is one of the outcomes of the Bilarab bin Haitham Award for Architectural Design. Participation themes Reem Al Shanfari presented the (6) prominent themes for Oman participation in Expo 2025 Osaka: communication and interaction, tourism, investment opportunities, cultural identity, and international relations and partnerships. These principles focus on achieving strategic objectives that are in line with Oman Vision 2040, and primarily revolve around highlighting the Omani cultural identity, enhancing the Sultanate of Oman's position as a global destination in the fields of tourism and investment, and showcasing national innovations in the fields of sustainable technology and renewable energy, which reflects the Sultanate of Oman's commitment to the green economy and sustainable development. In addition to exchanging knowledge between different cultures, building bridges of cultural communication, strengthening cultural relations, highlighting the historical and cultural significance of the Sultanate of Oman, highlighting the development of the education sector through educational, academic, and research cooperation with international institutions, shedding light on the Sultanate of Oman's vision for a sustainable future for societies, strengthening international relations, and providing distinguished participation that contributes to building new partnerships with other countries. More than (33) activities The conference revealed the program of events and activities accompanying the Sultanate of Oman's pavilion, there will be more than (33) activities from April 6 to October 13, 2025. Commenting on the program, Ibrahim Bani Araba, a member of the technical committee of the Omani Pavilion, said: 'This program stems from our belief in the importance of this participation, which represents a significant opportunity to enhance cultural and technological exchange with countries around the world, highlight the cultural and economic progress of the Sultanate of Oman, and preserve Oman's cultural identity and highlight its rich history.' The Digital Platform The press conference included a showcase of the digital platform accompanying the Sultanate of Oman's pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. This platform is an extension of the pavilion, where visitors will be able to interact with a wide range of new content from various participating entities using extended reality and artificial intelligence technologies. The platform includes 10 sections: the Visual Exhibition, the Virtual Theatre, the Audio Arts Exhibition, Made in Oman, Discover Oman, the Omani Technology Companies Centre, the Virtual Innovation Centre, the Small and Medium Enterprises Exhibition, the Virtual Education Opportunities Exhibition, and the Humanitarian Diplomacy Portal.
