Oman Showcases Rich Cultural Diversity at Kuwait International Book FairKuwait, 20 Nov 2025 (ONA) — The Sultanate of Oman’s pavilion, serving as the Guest of Honor at the 48th Kuwait International Book Fair, is presenting a wide array of publications that reflect its cultural diversity and rich creative landscape. This offering blends heritage, knowledge, and modern literary production to highlight the depth of Omani identity and its interaction with the wider Arab cultural sphere, reinforcing the presence of the Omani book as a bridge for communication and inspiration.In this context, Abdulaziz Mubarak Al Rahbi, supervisor of the Omani Society for Writers and Literati’s corner at Kuwait International Book Fair within Oman’s pavilion, stated: “This is the Society’s first participation in the Kuwait Fair. Through our presence, we aim to introduce visitors to our various activities and projects.” He added that the Society is displaying a diverse collection of publications across various fields of thought and knowledge, including poetry, novels, short stories, as well as intellectual, literary, and historical studies, alongside children’s literature and theater. He emphasized that the Society’s goal through its external participations is to present the Omani writer and book, and to disseminate Omani cultural output at these cultural forums.On his turn, Mohammed Ali Al Maskari, Director of the Sharia Research Department at the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, stated that the Ministry’s participation within Oman’s pavilion coincides with both Kuwait’s celebration as the Capital of Arab Culture and Media and Oman’s National Day celebrations. The Ministry is participating with over one hundred titles, ranging from Qur’anic exegeses, jurisprudential and lexical encyclopedias, to history and language books. He touched on significant public interest in specific titles, including the Omani Mus’haf for its distinctive and unique calligraphy not commonly found in other exhibitions, in addition to historical and lexical books.For his part, researcher Sanad Hamad Al Maharazi from the Manuscripts Department at the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth mentioned that the Ministry is participating with various Omani manuscripts of scientific, intellectual, and historical importance across various disciplines. These include the oldest Omani manuscript, over nine hundred years old, authored in 531 AH (1137) on biographies and responses; the manuscript “Ma’din al-Asrar fi ‘Ilm al-Bihar” from the 13th century AH, which was the first Omani manuscript registered with UNESCO in 2017; a Qur’an of the Seven Readings from the 12th century AH; and manuscripts in various scientific fields such as “Al-Kawakib al-Thabita” on astronomy. In medical sciences, it is participating with the manuscript by the Omani physician Rashid bin ‘Umaira al-Rustaqi, “Tashrih al-‘Ayn,” which details the brain and eye with extreme precision, dating back to the 10th century AH.He indicated that these displayed manuscripts represent a scientific and intellectual heritage embodying Islam, the Arab world, Oman, and its intellectual and cultural renaissance.For her part, Zakariya Ali Al Saqri from Oman Memory Centre clarified that the Centre’s participation is part of Oman’s prominent cultural presence as the Guest of Honor. He explained that the Centre is presenting a selection of qualitative publications documenting Omani history and highlighting its cognitive and scientific heritage, alongside digital projects and research programs aimed at preserving and providing access to Omani heritage for researchers and interested individuals. These include the book “Names of Ship Captains in the Records of the Sharia Court in Mutrah,” which documents over twenty-five prominent captains involved in maritime and commercial movement in Oman and the Gulf, serving as a unique reference for researchers in maritime and economic history.Meanwhile, Thuriya Hamad Al Hattali, Head of the Cultural Development Department at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, stated that the Ministry is participating with a comprehensive cultural pavilion offering qualitative content that reflects Oman’s civilizational depth and highlights the deep-rooted cultural and historical relations with Kuwait. The pavilion includes several corners and knowledge contents, such as an exhibition of Omani intellectual output, ornamentation of ancient Omani manuscripts, a corner on Omani-Kuwaiti cultural relations, an exhibition of Omani cultural elements registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a Virtual Reality and Hologram technology corner, and an exhibition of rare Omani manuscripts. The pavilion displays over 130 Omani titles, including the “Encyclopedia for Young Adults” and history books, which are highly popular. The accompanying cultural program includes 11 events with the participation of 33 Omani writers and talents, featuring joint events that embody cultural interaction between the two countries.On her turn, Balqees Hamoud Al Araimi from the Ministry of Information mentioned that the Ministry is participating with a wide range of Omani publications reflecting the diversity of Oman’s cultural scene and its intellectual presence. This participation is an opportunity to introduce the Gulf audience to the Ministry’s efforts in producing cultural and media content, focusing on works that document the features of Omani identity and its contemporary development.Hana Salim Al Bahrani, Head of the Heritage and Cultural Tourism Department at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, stated that based on the principle of integration among sectors to promote Oman, the Ministry is participating by displaying its prominent and latest specialized heritage publications and distributing promotional brochures and tourist maps of Oman in general and the Dhofar Governorate in particular.Azza Abdulaziz Al Hinai pointed out that the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is participating with over fifty scientific publications, including works on old quarters, the peer-reviewed “Journal of Omani Studies,” the “Archaeological Heritage” series, the “History of the Dawn” publication discussing discoveries from specific periods, an award-winning publication on Omani cuisine in Arabic and English, a publication on rock art translated from English to Arabic, a book on traditional Omani crafts including jewelry, costumes, and the Omani khanjar (dagger), along with related research, and a book on underwater archaeology, among others.— Ends/AH