Bahla Fort Cultural Heritage Forum engages Youth

BAHLA: The Bahla Fort Cultural Heritage Forum, organised by the Bahla Volunteer Team under the World Heritage Volunteers Initiative, continues to bring together more than 30 volunteers from Oman and abroad in a programme combining knowledge, hands-on experience and community engagement.
The Forum aims to strengthen youth participation in safeguarding cultural heritage, support traditional crafts and ensure inherited knowledge and skills are passed on to future generations.
Launched at Bahla Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Mahmoud bin Rashid al Saadi, Wali of Nizwa and Acting Governor of Al Dakhiliyah, the programme has featured workshops, educational sessions and field visits exploring Oman’s cultural heritage and its place within the global heritage landscape.

Participants visited Bahla Souq and the historic neighbourhoods of al Aqr, al Hawiyah and al Ghuzaili, gaining insight into traditional Omani architecture and the social and economic life of these communities. A symposium on Omani Heritage within the World Heritage Framework was also held, alongside sessions on conservation, responsible digital documentation and volunteerism.
Traditional crafts remain central to the Forum, with emphasis on pottery, metalwork and woodworking. Volunteers met local artisans and took part in practical activities involving clay shaping, painting and decoration. Visits to the Omani Women’s Association in Bahla and Bait Hirfati highlighted the role of women and local artisans in preserving traditional crafts.
At a pottery workshop, volunteers also met young people and children with disabilities who are learning the craft, demonstrating how traditional skills can promote inclusion, learning and community empowerment while preserving Bahla’s cultural identity.

Beyond Bahla, participants visited the Oman Across Ages Museum, Nizwa Fort and Nizwa Souq, as well as historic sites in al Dakhiliyah, gaining further insight into the region’s architectural and cultural diversity. They were also introduced to traditional copper smithing and the skills passed down through generations.
The volunteers met H.E. Sheikh Said bin Ali al Salfi al Nuaimi, Wali of Bahla and Head of the Local Community, who highlighted the importance of involving young people and local communities in safeguarding cultural heritage.
The Forum will continue until September 12, with visits planned to the archaeological sites of Salut and Bisya and Misfat al Abriyeen. Further workshops will focus on traditional woodworking.
The programme will conclude with presentations of participants’ experiences and completed work, followed by a review of outcomes and recommendations. These will be documented in a report and charter to be submitted to UNESCO.
Through field experience, craftsmanship, community participation and volunteerism, the Forum demonstrates that heritage preservation extends beyond historic sites to the knowledge, skills and cultural memory that sustain them for future generation