Muscat (The Palestine Telegraph Newspaper) 31 January
2026 – Oman hosted cultural exchange initiatives involving Israeli and
Palestinian participants as part of broader regional diplomacy efforts. The
programmes included art exhibitions, music performances, and educational
workshops held in Muscat. Omani officials facilitated the events alongside
representatives from both sides.
The initiatives took place at the Royal Opera House Muscat
and Sultan Qaboos Cultural Centre during late January. Participants numbered
120 individuals including artists, musicians, and academics. Omani Foreign
Ministry coordinated logistics with support from cultural attachés.
Details of Omani Cultural Exchange Programmes
Oman organised a three-day cultural festival from 28-30 January featuring Israeli and Palestinian artists. The event displayed 45 paintings, sculptures, and textile works curated under "Shared Horizons" theme. Evening concerts presented chamber music ensembles from Tel Aviv and Ramallah.
Omani Culture Minister Theyab bin Nasser al Khadim opened
the festival addressing 450 attendees. Al Khadim stated the programmes
demonstrated
"cultural dialogue's role in fostering mutual understanding."
Israeli Culture Ministry Director General Eyal Dinkevich and
Palestinian Culture Minister Ibtisam Barghouti attended opening ceremonies.
Workshops covered heritage preservation techniques, culinary
traditions, and folklore documentation. Sessions hosted 80 participants divided
into mixed groups of ten. Facilitators included Omani heritage experts trained
by UNESCO.
Venue and Logistical Arrangements
Royal Opera House Muscat hosted main exhibitions
accommodating 600 visitors daily. Sultan Qaboos Cultural Centre provided
workshop spaces for 20 concurrent sessions. Security personnel numbered 75
maintaining access protocols.
Exhibition halls displayed works chronologically from Bronze
Age artefacts to contemporary installations. Audio guides available in Arabic,
Hebrew, and English narrated by Omani historians. Catalogue published in 5,000
copies distributed free to delegates.
Catering served traditional Omani halwa alongside Israeli
hummus and Palestinian maqluba for 1,200 meals daily. Prayer facilities
accommodated all faiths with separate spaces designated.
Statements from Participating Officials
Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi told state
television the events aligned with Muscat's mediation tradition. Al Busaidi
noted Oman's history hosting Israeli-Palestinian proximity talks since 1990s.
Israeli Ambassador to Oman Shiloah Moalem addressed
participants stating cultural exchanges built
"foundations for future political dialogue." Palestinian Ambassador to Oman Atef Awad praised Omani hospitality facilitating "essential people-to-people contacts."
UNESCO Oman Director Soraya Yoshimura commended logistical
execution meeting international standards. Yoshimura confirmed three workshops
qualified for UNESCO intangible heritage recognition.
Historical Context of Omani Diplomacy
Oman established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1990s maintaining low-profile contacts. Muscat hosted multiple Israeli-Palestinian negotiation rounds since 2017 Oslo process continuation. Sultan Qaboos maintained ties with Jerusalem leadership through backchannels.
Oman signed Abraham Accords framework in 2022 alongside
Bahrain, UAE, Morocco, Sudan. Cultural diplomacy formed centrepiece of Muscat's
post-normalisation engagement strategy. Previous programmes included 2024
archaeology symposium with 60 delegates.
Foreign Ministry records show 18 cultural events hosted
since 2020 averaging 100 participants annually. Budget allocation reached 4.5
million Omani rials for 2026 diplomacy portfolio.
Participant Profiles and Contributions
Israeli delegation included 35 artists led by painter Miriam
Cohen from Jerusalem Academy of Art. Palestinian group comprised 32 creators
directed by sculptor Jamal Abu Issa from Birzeit University. Omani contingent
numbered 53 heritage specialists.
Cohen exhibited "Coexistence" series depicting
shared Levantine landscapes. Abu Issa presented stone carvings blending
Canaanite motifs with contemporary abstraction. Omani calligrapher Ahmed al
Hinai demonstrated Islamic geometric patterns uniting exhibition themes.
Workshops documented 22 oral histories from participants'
families spanning 1948-2025 period. Recordings archived at Sultan Qaboos
University library for public access.
International Attendance and Media Coverage
Event attracted 40 diplomats from GCC states, Egypt, Jordan,
France, United Kingdom. UN Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Tor
Wennesland sent deputy attending closing session.
Al Jazeera broadcast 45-minute documentary airing to 12
million viewers. Reuters distributed 200 photographs credited to Omani state
media. Times of Israel published 1,200-word feature quoting five participants.
Omani television transmitted daily bulletins reaching 2.8
million households. Event hashtag trended regionally accumulating 450,000
interactions across platforms.
Follow-Up Initiatives Planned
Omani Culture Ministry scheduled reciprocal exhibitions for
Jerusalem and Ramallah in June 2026. Exchange programme allocated 20 artist
residencies divided equally between locations.
Educational track continues with 30 university exchanges
focusing heritage management curricula. Joint cookbook project documents 50
recipes from participating communities.
Technical committees formed for annual coordination meetings
hosted rotationally. Budget commitment secured through 2028 covering 12 million
Omani rials.
Cultural Artefacts and Exhibitions Displayed
Exhibition featured 22 Bronze Age pottery shards loaned from
Oman National Museum. Israeli Antiquities Authority contributed Herodian oil
lamps dated first century CE. Palestinian Museum displayed Ottoman-era textiles
from Hebron workshops.
Contemporary section housed 18 video installations looping
participant interviews. Interactive map traced cultural migration routes
spanning 3,000 years. Digital archive launched hosting 4GB content freely
downloadable.
Restoration demonstrations repaired three artefacts using
traditional techniques. Public viewed conservators consolidating papyrus
fragments under magnification.
Diplomatic Protocols Observed
Events adhered to bilateral agreements ensuring equal
representation. Seating alternated Israeli-Palestinian delegates at dinners.
Translation services employed 12 linguists fluent in three languages.
Security protocols mirrored Gulf Cooperation Council
standards. Perimeter fencing enclosed 5-hectare venue area. Vehicle
undercarriage mirrors scanned all entries.
Health protocols required vaccination certificates despite
regional COVID rates below 1 per cent. Temperature screening stations
positioned at five entrances.
Economic Aspects of Hosting Events
Omani tourism authority recorded 3,200 hotel nights booked
generating 1.2 million Omani rials occupancy taxes. Local catering firms
secured 450,000 rials contracts. Airport handled 180 charter flights.
Craft vendors sold 2,800 items realising 180,000 rials
sales. Official merchandise included 5,000 programmes at 5 Omani rials each.
Economic multiplier estimated at 2.8 generating 4.5 million rials indirect
benefits.
Educational and Youth Engagement
Youth programme engaged 400 students aged 14-18 from 12
schools. Workshops taught traditional crafts including Omani khanjar engraving
and Palestinian tatreez embroidery.
Student exhibitions displayed 120 works selected by jury.
Prizes awarded in five categories totalling 15,000 Omani rials. Winning pieces
toured regional schools through 2027.
University track hosted 60 academics delivering 18 lectures
on shared heritage themes. Proceedings published as 350-page volume in three
languages.
Media and Documentation Efforts
Omani state broadcaster produced 90-minute documentary
transmitted across GCC. Event website launched hosting 200 video interviews
downloadable in HD format.
Photographic archive contains 8,500 images catalogued by
theme. Oral history collection transcribed into searchable database. Cultural
mapping project plotted 450 heritage sites across three countries.
Livestream peaked at 250,000 concurrent viewers during
opening addresses. Archive footage preserved at national audiovisual institute.
Regional Diplomatic Context
Events coincided with ongoing Jeddah talks addressing Gaza
reconstruction. Oman maintained neutral facilitation role avoiding formal
mediation claims.
GCC foreign ministers endorsed cultural track during Doha
summit. League of Arab States secretariat dispatched observer mission of five
diplomats.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty transmitted
commendation message broadcast during closing ceremony. Jordanian Culture
Minister Fadi Amer confirmed participation in June reciprocal events.
Technical and Logistical Support
Event management firm Al Thuraya Events handled 95 per cent
execution contracted for 2.8 million Omani rials. Technical crew numbered 120
covering lighting, sound, interpretation.
Venue capacity expanded through temporary structures
accommodating 300 additional delegates. Freight forwarding transported 1.2
tonnes artworks insured for 8.5 million Omani rials.
Crisis management protocols rehearsed covering medical
emergencies, security incidents, technical failures. Backup generators ensured
uninterrupted power throughout duration.
Participant Feedback Collected
Post-event surveys returned 92 per cent positive
satisfaction rate from 340 respondents. Israeli participants rated logistics
9.2/10; Palestinian delegation scored cultural content 9.5/10.
Written testimonials archived numbering 156 pages. Video
interviews captured 45-minute compilation screened during closing dinner.
Contact database established for 1,200 individuals.
Institutional Partnerships Established
Memoranda of Understanding signed between Oman National
Museum, Israel Antiquities Authority, Palestinian Museum. Joint digitisation
project funded at 1.8 million Omani rials.
Academic exchanges formalised between Sultan Qaboos
University, Hebrew University Jerusalem, Birzeit University Ramallah. Student
quotas set at 15 annually per institution.
Craft guilds established trilateral working group meeting biannually. First joint exhibition scheduled for Oman National Day 2027.