Sometimes, walking ahead entails not just dreaming alone, it needs imagination and the conviction to take the first step towards the goal and act upon realising the same.
The great leader late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said foresaw the future yesterday and acted today. All the cultural heritage, infrastructure, iconic landmarks and other monuments of today are the result of the dreams that late His Majesty had yesterday.
Thus, all his initial focus of development in the beginning was on the construction of roads, hospitals and schools so that an intellectual, self-reliant society could be moulded over a period of time.
He also foresaw the difference of regional interests and the growing trends among various societies that might have stalled their future growth, but marched ahead with an olive branch in his hands to bring peace there.
“His neutral stance on foreign affairs and his policy of ‘friends to all and enemies to none.’ This has been particularly important in times of increasing hostility within the region,” says Sonia Ambrosio de Nelson, Head of the Department of Journalism at SQU.
“Oman enabled meetings between the US and Iran in 2013 that lead to a landmark deal two years later and has also negotiated the release of various US hostages over the years,” Maggie Jeans, Coordinator, British Business Forum in Oman, said.
“His role as the peacemaker with the region is the greatest legacy of Sultan Qaboos, which will be upheld by his chosen successor, Sultan Haitham bin Tareq,” adds Maggie, who is also the Director/Partner of Al Manahil.
“His Majesty’s core point of attention was empowering the Omani human force,” said Dr Waleed al Rajhi, Dean of Planning and Quality Management, Nizwa University.
“And this goal has been achieved through continuous education and other supports like scholarships to study abroad so that they obtain high qualification related to their fields,” adds Al Rajhi.
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