Measures taken at local level to promote cultural diversity
Where
Oman
When
2012
Key objectives of the measure:
- The Sultanate has worked to involve various segments of society in its annual plans. The five-year development programs and projects aim at Omani people in their places of residence in the plain and the mountain. This helped the people to maintain their culture emanating from the environment where the customs were born.
- The Sultanate adopted the princip le of "opportunity for all" in various events and activities. The Annual Muscat Festival holds a competition dedicated to each State to allow it to present its different performs, arts, customs and traditions of different.
- In the State Basic Law, which was issued in 1996, it gives the right for all people to express their views, ideas and provides a respect for different races and lineages, and all citizens are equal before the law.
- Different environments are represented equally in all occasions; we find the Bedouins, marine and rural environments with all their details producing a harmony of cultures that maintains the Omani identity.
- Cultural diversity in Oman can be witnessed in the dialects, races and origins of the society; in return, the government was able to absorb it all in one place. There are many cultural practices preformed with local dialects in an efficient manner and freedom.
- The Omani govemment works through the Ministry of Heritage and Culture to organize a theater competition, which witnesses a large and wide participation from the theater groups and various sectors of the society. This festival provides an opportunity for the players to present their creativity and to highlight the cultural elements of each group or actor.
- The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs publishes a magazine titled "Understanding" in order to deepen the tolerance among the people of the society and promote the dialogue between different religions and jurisprudence doctrines of the world. The Ministry also holds a seminar on the development of the sciences of Jurisprudence where a number of scholars and thinkers deliver worksheets to stand on the various aspects of the intellectuals and bdieves of the Islamic religion.
- The Omani govemment gives the opportunity to the art works production institutes, through the art permits, to produce art works, whether documentary or dramatic. The number of institutions of the artistic production in the Sultamte has reached 115.
- The Sultan Qaboos University is one of the main supporters of Oman's cultural diversity as man f programs and events held in the field of poetry, stories in addition to the university theater.
- The Omani craft innovat .on is specially supported by the Public Authority for Craft lndm tries. lt off ers many kinds of support for the creative craftsmanship providing an opportunity for craftsmen to market their products at the local and international levels as well as protecting the creative crafts through implementing laws and regulations that guarantee the craftsmen their Iiterary and intellectual rights.
- The Omani govemment attaches a great importance to the scientific research as the core of the progress of civilizations and nations. The Omani researches gain a special support from the Scientific Research Council as it adopts the forwarded researches presented and provides the financial and technical aids for researchers.
- The civil associations are partner with the govemment in the implementation of its plans and programs. The law in Oman allows formation of civil associations that have clear objectives and programs. The Sultanate looks at these associations as the primary engine of govemment action and a good partner through the programs and events offered by the associations. The associations enjoy financial and administrative independence.
- The Sultanate's govemment has paid great importance to education at ali levels and stages. Schools in various regions and villages of the country were established and the public and private universities that include all academic disciplines were opened.
- The Sultanate issued several laws and regulations that serve the intellectual creativity and contribute to the promotion of cultural creation as the publications and printings law and intellectual property law. The Sultanate also encourages the young Omani writers to produce their works througt the Omani writers support programs.
- Respecting for the diversity of arts and musical creativity, a number of music bands and folklore groups can be found in different regions of the Sultanate. The bands are civil entities formed by the local community in order to maintain their art and musical inheritance that is presented to the world. The number of folk groups reached 202, while the number of bands is 54 at the time wh en the report is produced.
Area of Monitoring
Cultural Domain
Cinema/ Audiovisual Arts
Design
Media Arts
Music
Performing Arts
Publishing
Visual Arts
Cultural Value Chain
Creation
Production
Distribution
Participation