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Oman launches major initiatives to commemorate Renaissance Day

MUSCAT — Two major initiatives have been announced in the southern Dhofar region to commemorate the country’s July 23 ‘Renaissance Day’ on orders from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

The first is a youth complex and the second a project to grow 100,000 coconut trees.

The ‘Sultan Qaboos Youth, Culture and Entertainment Complex’ will be set up in Salalah, the region’s main city, Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, the Minister of Diwan of Royal Court, said, revealing the royal instructions.

The new facility, he added, was specifically meant to “make the best use of the potential of youth, coinciding with the 40^th anniversary of the sultanate’s Renaissance Day.”

The complex, Sayyid Ali said, would incorporate all the latest “facilities and amenities designed to utilise the time of young people in the best possible manner.”

He said Sultan Qaboos’ order to plant 100,000 coconut trees in the Dhofar governorate reflected the Omani ruler’s keen interest in developing the country’s agricultural sector.

Agriculture Minister Shaikh Salim Bin Hilal Al Khalili, commenting on the project, underlined the “diversity of climate conditions” in Oman that made its different regions suitable for cultivation of different crops.

Tree plantation

He referred to an earlier order by Sultan Qaboos to plant one million date palms across the country, stressing that the moves reflected the considerable attention given to the farm sector by the government with the aim of ensuring food security.

Meanwhile, an exhibition of postal stamps, held to mark Renaissance Day, is under way in Salalah.

Organised by Oman Post on the sidelines of the ongoing Salalah Tourism Festival, the show features stamps symbolising the sultanate’s progress over the past four decades and special souvenir stamps issued to celebrate Renaissance Day 2010.

· ravindranath@khaleejtimes.com