SALALAH: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, will host a delegation from the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) on Tuesday to implement the Civilisation Bridges programme.
Running from August 25 to 28 in Dhofar Governorate, the initiative aims to explore the governorate's rich civilisational, cultural, heritage, and developmental assets, while reinforcing institutional cooperation between the organisation and the Sultanate of Oman to foster civilisational dialogue, cultural diplomacy, and to consolidate partnerships between ICESCO, its Member States and their National Commissions.
The visit is grounded in the programme’s strategic vision of transforming cultural tours from mere field visits into dynamic platforms for civilisational dialogue and institutional engagement.
This approach enables ICESCO leaders and experts to gain direct insight into the national experiences of Member States, familiarise themselves with their cultural distinctiveness, national institutions, and development initiatives, and identify emerging avenues for collaboration and partnership.
The visit agenda includes a series of site visits and meetings highlighting historical landmarks, heritage sites, and cultural institutions, alongside reviews of select development initiatives and projects.
The delegation will also examine local best practices in the domains of culture, heritage, tourism, archaeological site preservation, and community participation in civilisational and developmental progress.
Furthermore, the visit will facilitate exchanges with officials and stakeholders active in heritage, tourism, culture, and development sectors, thereby promoting the sharing of expertise and experience, identifying new collaborative opportunities between ICESCO and Omani national institutions, and strengthening alignment between the organisation’s programmes and the developmental and cultural priorities of its Member States.
The outcomes of the visit are expected to define new areas of cooperation, enhance the exchange of expertise and best practices, and support joint initiatives within ICESCO's areas of competence, thereby strengthening the organisation’s field presence and consolidating its position as a leading platform for civilisational diplomacy and cultural development across the Islamic world.
It is noteworthy that the Civilisation Bridges initiative was launched by the General Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences at ICESCO with the aim of developing new cooperation mechanisms between the organisation and its Member States.
This is achieved by deepening direct knowledge of national experiences, building networks of relationships between ICESCO experts and national institutions, and encouraging the exchange of expertise and best practices. - ONA
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