The Cultural Club has launched the first literary phase of the Third Cultural Forum in the Wilayat of Maqshin, Dhofar Governorate. The event, which runs until November 18, is being organised in cooperation with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and aims to expand cultural engagement beyond Muscat by promoting creativity across the Sultanate of Oman’s diverse regions.
The forum consists of three cultural and literary phases designed to involve various segments of the community. It seeks to establish dialogue spaces that unite intellectuals, researchers and creatives, reinforcing the concept of cultural decentralisation in line with Oman Vision 2040.
Dr Mohammed bin Ali al Balushi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cultural Club, emphasised the need to balance cultural activity between the centre and the peripheries. He said, “Oman today strives to ensure that culture is not confined to major cities but shared across all regions. Cultural decentralisation is essential for cognitive sustainability and for empowering local communities to participate in the nation’s development”.
Dr Al Balushi explained that organising forums such as the Maqshin Cultural Forum represents a shift in Omani cultural thinking. “By holding this forum on the edge of the Empty Quarter, we are not merely moving cultural activity to a new location; we are redistributing the radiance of culture to new borders and landscapes”, he said. “The desert here is not a void but a space rich in memory, beauty and history”.
The programme features a range of workshops and sessions tailored to the local environment and community, including 'How to Tell Your Story', 'Artificial Intelligence Applications in the Desert' and 'Creating Artistic Sculptures with Sand and Clay'. These activities aim to connect heritage with technology and encourage creative expression among children, mothers and teachers.
The forum also highlights heritage as a living source of inspiration, with storytelling, art and reading sessions designed to strengthen cultural identity and community belonging. “When children mold sand into sculptures or mothers learn to nurture reading habits, they participate in building a generation that values both knowledge and the land”, Dr Al Balushi said.
He praised the role of PDO in supporting the forum, describing the partnership as a model of cooperation between the cultural and economic sectors. “Such collaboration reflects a shared vision that culture is not secondary, but a core driver of sustainable development”, he added.
The event will conclude with dialogue sessions and a poetry evening celebrating Dhofar’s cultural landscape. The Cultural Club has previously organised similar forums in the Wilayat of Haima (2023), Al Wusta Governorate and Shaleem and Al Hallaniyat Islands (2024), Dhofar Governorate, continuing its mission to extend cultural activity across Oman’s governorates. — ONA
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