Muscat: As countries compete for attention, investment and influence, culture is becoming a more important part of the story they tell. The next edition of Tejarah Talks, 7:30pm, Tuesday 14 April at the Civil Aviation Authority Training Centre will examine how Oman can turn the strength of its heritage into wider economic value and international relevance without compromising authenticity.
Around the world, culture and creativity account for 3.1% of GDP and 6.2% of employment, underlining the growing recognition of creative industries not only as expressions of identity but as contributors to economic life. This edition of Tejarah Talks, held under the theme “Cultural Capital: Turning Heritage into Global Influence” will bring together speakers from the heritage, museum and tourism fields to discuss how Oman can share its cultural strengths more effectively with the world while preserving the qualities that make them distinctive.
April’s event will look at how heritage can support sustainable growth, tourism and creative enterprise in Oman with particular attention to craftsmanship, historic places, cultural experiences and the role of technology in extending reach and commercial potential. It will also examine how traditions can be safeguarded as cultural industries grow, how Omani cultural exports can be positioned more effectively and how future growth can be supported through the right funding models.
Leading discussions will be: Dr. Fatma Al Balushi, Adviser to the Secretary General for Museum Affairs, The National Museum; Omar Al Mamari, Museum Manager, Bait Al Zubair; and Ahmed Al Mukhaini, Senior Research Fellow at the UNESCO Chair for World Heritage Sites & Sustainable Tourism Management in the Arab Region, GUtech. The session will be moderated by Jamal Al Asmi, Creative Growth Director, Mubashir.
Badriya Al Amri, Oman Business Forum Office at MoCIIP and Tejarah Talks organizer, said: “The challenge isn’t whether Omani heritage has value. It clearly does. The real task is bringing that value into wider view without flattening what makes it distinctive in the first place. Too often, culture is either protected so carefully it struggles to travel, or commercialized so heavily it loses its meaning. We want this conversation to sit in that more thoughtful middle ground – where heritage can generate opportunity, support livelihoods and reach new audiences, while still feeling rooted, credible and unmistakably Omani.”
Tejarah Talks continues to create space for discussion around the ideas and sectors shaping Oman’s future. April’s event will examine how Oman can present its heritage in ways that travel further, connect more widely and create lasting value while remaining true to its roots.
