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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Sultanate and Syria agree to boost cultural relations

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MUSCAT: His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tareq al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum, on Sunday received Mohammed Munir al Ahmad, Minister of Culture in the Syrian Arab Republic, who is on an official visit to the Sultanate.


A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the National Museum and the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, as well as the signing of a temporary loan agreement for museum collections from the Syrian Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums to the National Museum for conservation and preservation purposes, in addition to holding a temporary exhibition at the National Museum.


The agreement was signed by Jamal bin Hussein al Mousawi, Director-General of the National Museum, and Dr Mahmoud Ali Hamoud, Director-General of Antiquities and Museums, Syrian Ministry of Culture.


COOPERATION


HH Sayyid Haitham said that the Omani-Syrian relations are not new, but are ancient and deeply-rooted. He added that Oman and Syria are two central countries which have contributed to the march of human civilisation, and they have been linked by various ties in trade, politics, history and others.


He also said, “We are looking forward to more constructive cooperation in all aspects of culture, which the leadership of the two brotherly countries seek during the next phase of the Omani-Syrian relations.”


Speaking on the occasion, Al Mousawi said, “The signing of the memorandum of understanding between the National Museum in the Sultanate and the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, which supervises the management of five national museums, comes in the interest of enhancing joint cooperation in the cultural and museum fields with brotherly and friendly countries in accordance with the objectives for which the National Museum was established.


“It is a reflection of the cooperation that has been in place since last year, where coordination is taking place on the exchange of exhibits, museum experiences, support in the field of preservation and conservation and the management of collectibles.”


It is worth mentioning that the National Museum signed an agreement last year with the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums to provide specialised technical support to the Syrian side in the framework of their efforts in stocktaking and document artifacts and museums damaged by the crisis in Syria.


The museum also hosted a lecture entitled “Efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of the Syrian Arab Republic”, which included several themes focusing on introduction of Syrian antiquities and damage to antiquities and museums during the crisis experienced by Syria. — ONA


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