On a breezy Wednesday afternoon in Sydney, the courtyard of the University of New South Wales transformed into something unexpected, an echo of home, thousands of kilometres away. For two hours, from 2 to 4 pm, the familiar scents of Omani coffee, the sweetness of dates and the warm rhythm of hospitality rippled through the space, drawing students of every background towards an unmissable celebration: the Omani National Day.
Small Omani flags fluttered in the wind, tables were dressed with traditional accessories and trays of halwa and sweets glistened under the soft Australian sunlight. For a moment, the courtyard felt less like a campus in Australia and more like a gathering in Muscat or Nizwa, an intimate pocket of identity preserved and proudly shared.
This event was more than decoration or nostalgia. It was a living expression of what it means to be an Omani student abroad, carrying one’s culture not as a memory but as a gift, something to pour, like coffee, into the hands of strangers who soon become friends.
Nadia, the Health Promotion Officer at UNSW College, watched the scene unfold with admiration. “As soon as the students came into the courtyard and saw what was happening”, she said, “there was so much excitement. Everyone was immediately eager to engage”. She described the atmosphere as “organic and authentic”, the kind of interaction that doesn’t need choreography. While Omani students poured coffee, passed dates and explained traditions, conversations blossomed naturally. Students from across the world leaned in, curious and delighted. “The level of hospitality was so welcoming”, Nadia said. “Everyone felt comfortable. And all the students were so happy to try the coffee and learn why it’s important to your culture”.
Standing nearby was Aretha, a student progress advisor at UNSW College who supports both domestic and international students. When asked how she felt seeing the Omani cultural presence come alive on campus, her face lit up. “Honestly, I was very excited. It was about time”, she said. Having lived in Qatar for ten years before moving to Australia, she explained her deep connection with GCC students. “I have a very special connection with Omani students, Emirati, Saudis, from everywhere. Oman was actually the last country I travelled to before coming here”. Watching the celebration, she said, felt deeply meaningful. “This is a beautiful, beautiful celebration. I enjoyed seeing you all with the dishdashas and everything. And it’s a great opportunity for other students to meet you, see your culture and understand it. I loved it”.
Among the visitors was Saudi student Abdulrahman al Malki, who joined not simply as a guest but as a brother in culture. “This is a monumental event for Omanis”, he said. “I am glad to celebrate the day with my Omani friends and the entire nation that is constantly showing support for Saudis. We are both brothers in the Arab nation and I extend my warmest congratulations”. His words captured the idea that cultural celebrations abroad do more than bring familiarity to those who miss home, they create bridges of solidarity across nationalities.
For Mukhtar bin Abdullah al Abri, one of the main organisers, the motivation behind the event was rooted in joy and belonging. “We wanted to share our joy with students from different nationalities”, he said. “National Day is a happiness that should be shared”. With support from UNSW, he and his peers curated an experience that showcased Omani traditions, foods, artefacts and, above all, the spirit of unity. “We saw students from all around the world gathered together”, he added, “and we shared with them a part of our customs, traditions and dishes. The main drive behind this event was to share our joy and revive the spirit of Oman within us”.
For Mukhtar and the team, the celebration was not only outward facing. It was also a moment of self-grounding, a chance to reconnect with home while standing on foreign soil.
In cities like Sydney, where thousands of cultures overlap every day, it is easy for identities to fade into the background. But for these Omani students, the National Day gathering was an act of preservation and pride. They did not carry their culture quietly. They showcased it, brewed it, sweetened it, adorned it with flags and scents and stories. They invited others to taste it and asked nothing in return but curiosity and conversation.
In doing so, they demonstrated something essential about cultural identity abroad, it does not fade, it evolves, carried forward by those who choose to express it openly.
On that November afternoon, as coffee was poured and languages mingled, Oman found a home in Sydney. And for a few bright hours, students from across the globe learned that culture is not defined by geography but by the people who keep it alive, no matter how far they travel.
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