The aesthetically designed Oman pavilion at the Doha Expo 2023 in Qatar, held under the theme ‘Green Desert, Better Environment’, has been a major crowd puller as it is providing a window to see, experience and feel the country.
Oman is participating in the Expo along with over 68 countries and international organisations.
“Mainly, four of Oman’s sustainability initiatives are on display and they form part of the national drive towards protecting the environment, traditional technology, innovation and modern farming,” says Aysha al Khatri, a volunteer at the Expo.
“We are attempting to show the four major aspects of the sustainability policy of the country, Oman’s natural resources, frankincense, baobab trees, Green Hydrogen and the aflaj,” she said.
The pavilion has frankincense trees and its products are on sale along with other made-in-Oman products.
Periodate rocks with their dense, coarse-grained igneous appearance consisting mostly of the silicate minerals, olivine and pyroxene which have the power to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it for future and protect the ozone layer are also on display.
A range of exhibits of the Oman Botanic Garden and a fountain made of high-density peridotite rocks are yet another attraction.
The Oman pavilion features 1,600 specimens of native trees and plants transported from the Oman Botanic Garden. They represent the unique plant diversity abound in mountains stretching from Musandam to Dhofar.
The pavilion presents different types of Omani environments. It offers a simulation of the terrace farms of Al Jabal Al Akhdhar in Al Dakhiliyah and the khareef in Dhofar. It also presents some perennial species of Oman, including the frankincense and the baobab found in Dhofar – the last habitat of existence of such plants in the Arabian Peninsula.
Another attraction is Oman’s aflaj which are used in irrigation.
A visitor enters Oman's pavilion with fragrance of Oman's traditional halwa.
Saleh bin Nisar al Musalhi, a young entrepreneur who is treating the visitors with a rare recipe of the Omani halwa, said the sweetmeat has evoked a sense of culinary curiosity among the visitors that comprise people from many countries.
Dr Saud bin Hamoud al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, praised the efforts made by Qatar in hosting and organising the International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha.
He said that this major global event brought together countries of diverse climates from around the world in one place to exchange experiences and share ideas and lessons learned in the field of agriculture and agricultural systems.
He noted that the Sultanate of Oman is participating in the exhibition with a variety of plants that thrive in different environments, whether in desert, mountainous, or coastal regions, and are resilient to water scarcity, and capable of adapting and growing in the Gulf environment.
The minister praised the topics being discussed at the Expo under the theme “Green Desert, Better Environment” and their importance to the entire world, particularly those related to food security and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
He underlined that organising this event in a desert region serves as an invitation to combat desertification and optimise resource utilisation, and paves the way for greening and prosperity of the world.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
