Forum in Muscat seeks to strengthen fine art’s role in protecting intangible heritage

A forum aimed at bolstering the contribution of fine arts to the preservation of intangible cultural heritage opened in Muscat on Tuesday. The two-day Sub-Regional Forum on Intangible Heritage and Art: Reality and Challenges is organised by Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth together with the Ministry of Education, represented by the Oman National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech), via its UNESCO Chair on World Heritage Management and Sustainable Tourism in the Arab Region.

The event officially opened under the patronage of Sayyid Said Sultan Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture. It targets academics, researchers and specialists working in the fields of intangible cultural heritage and the arts.

Speech highlights challenges and Oman’s efforts

In an opening address, Dr. Mahmoud Abdullah Al Abri, Secretary-General of the Oman National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, noted that the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) launched the theme “Emergency Response for Living Heritage in the Context of Crises and Disasters” on 18 April 2025. He stressed the need to protect both tangible and intangible heritage from the impacts of crises and disasters.

Dr. Al Abri emphasised that art serves as a creative medium for documenting historical landmarks, customs, traditions, knowledge and cultural practices, and for transmitting them to future generations. He pointed to the challenges facing intangible heritage and noted that certain cultural elements are inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding under UNESCO’s 2003 Convention.

He also highlighted the role of teachers—both male and female—in nurturing students’ talents and strengthening their connection to cultural identity. Concluding his remarks, he cited the Sultanate of Oman’s achievements in heritage safeguarding, including the inscription of 18 Omani cultural elements, both individual and joint, on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and the establishment of the UNESCO Sultan Haitham Prize for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2026.

Scientific papers and exhibition

The opening ceremony featured a series of scholarly presentations. Maryam Nasser Al Kharboushi, Director of the Cultural Identity Department at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, delivered the first paper titled “The Role of Sultan Haitham Prize for Intangible Cultural Heritage in Enhancing the Sultanate of Oman’s Civilizational Standing.”

In the second paper, Aseela Saif Al Manji from Sultan Qaboos University addressed “The Funerary Dan Art in Mirbat Wilayat in Dhofar Governorate: An Ethnomusicological Reading and Miniature Archival Design.” Dr. Awatif Said Al Ghafri later presented a project on artistic pairing between Muscat and North Al Batinah Governorates for emergency response to living heritage during crises and disasters.

Following the papers, Sayyid Said Sultan Al Busaidi toured an accompanying exhibition showcasing fine artwork by students who took part in the artistic pairing initiative between UNESCO-affiliated schools in Muscat and North Al Batinah Governorates. The initiative aims to employ fine arts in safeguarding living heritage and to foster the exchange of expertise among teachers and supervisors within professional learning communities. The exhibition also included photographs of winners from the regional competition “Impact in the Neighbourhood,” organised by the UNESCO Chair on World Heritage Management and Sustainable Tourism in the Arab Region at GUtech.

Working session focuses on regional cooperation

The first day’s programme included a working session titled “The Role of Art in Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Sub-Regional Level,” moderated by Dr. Younis Jamil Al Nu’amani, Director of the Heritage and Culture Department at the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science. Academics, experts and specialists in intangible cultural heritage from UNESCO, ALECSO and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) participated.

Discussions covered UNESCO’s vision for the sustainability of living heritage safeguarding within spatial contexts, periodic reporting on intangible cultural heritage in the Arab region, the use of art in safeguarding cultural heritage in Qatar, and oral history experiences and documentation on the International Day for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the United Arab Emirates.

Several officials from Oman’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth attended the opening, along with experts and specialists from UNESCO, ALECSO and GCC countries. The forum coincided with the International Day for Intangible Cultural Heritage, observed annually on 17 October.