MUSCAT: MUSCAT: In a move aligned with Oman Vision 2040, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY) announced the launch of several ambitious digital transformation initiatives during a media forum held in Muscat on Sunday. The event was attended by Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture; Basil bin Ahmed al Rawas, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth, and a number of senior ministry officials.
LAUNCH OF “SHABIK” PLATFORM
A major highlight of the event was the official launch of the “Shabik” mobile application, the Ministry’s new e-ticketing system for cultural, sports and youth events. The platform was inaugurated by Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidy and is designed to streamline ticket booking, enhance user experience, and facilitate community engagement in public events.
The platform also offers the Ministry critical tools for data analysis and crowd management, contributing to smarter event planning. The initiative reflects a significant milestone in the Ministry’s digital agenda and supports Oman’s broader vision for digital government services.
LAUNCH OF OMAN’S LARGEST HACKATHON PROGRAMME
Another cornerstone initiative is the launch of the largest Hackathon programme in the Gulf region, an eight-week national challenge bringing together programmers, innovators, and creatives. The goal is to develop practical digital solutions that support and advance the Ministry’s work across culture, sports, and youth sectors.
Sultan al Subhi, Director of the Digital Transformation Programme, affirmed that the Ministry’s recent efforts to digitise and refine sector data towards applying a structured methodology based on understanding, analysis, and implementation to drive real results.
During the forum, the MoCSY signed six key Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with local and international partners, including: Aman Company — to improve digital excellence indicators, Sohar International Bank — as a strategic partner for the Hackathon, Al Qala’a — for cybersecurity collaboration, Cisco — to explore advanced technology applications, Tatweer — for software and application security testing, Tanafos — for digital solution development support Capacity-Building Workshop.
The event concluded with a workshop titled "Enhancing Readiness for Change at the Individual and Institutional Level," delivered by change management expert Hanan bint Hamed al Salmiyah. The session focused on the human dimension of digital transformation and stressed the importance of preparing employees for rapid shifts in technology and digital services.
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