Oman affirms importance of education, culture in consolidating peace

Paris: The Sultanate of Oman has affirmed that the concept of “investing in people through education, culture and knowledge” constitutes a solid foundation for building sustainable peace. Oman also underscored the importance of enhancing international cooperation to protect cultural heritage, develop education systems and support communities affected by crises and conflicts.A statement to this effect was delivered by Amna bint Salim Al Balushi, Permanent Delegate of the Sultanate of Oman to the UNESCO, during the 225th session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), being held in Paris, France, from 5 to 20 October 2026. Oman’s Permanent Delegate to the UNESCO affirmed the Sultanate of Oman’s steadfast commitment to support multilateral international action. In her speech, she recalled the historic visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to UNESCO headquarters in June 2026. She pointed out that the Royal visit embodied Oman’s deep conviction in the importance of investing in people as a fundamental pillar for achieving development and realising sustainable peace that is based on education, culture and knowledge.Speaking about the conservation of cultural heritage, Oman’s Permanent Delegate to the UNESCO highlighted the launch of UNESCO-Sultan Haitham Prize for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. She described the award as a significant Omani contribution to international efforts aimed to protect living heritage and enable communities to preserve their cultural legacy and pass it onwards to future generations.In this context, she expressed the Sultanate of Oman’s pride in supporting the “World Heritage Capacity-Building Programme” that was launched in several East African nations in cooperation with the UNESCO. She observed that the strategic programme contributed to enhancing national capacities and supporting efforts to showcase rich African heritage sites and secure their registration in the World Heritage List.Amna bint Salim Al Balushi also affirmed the Sultanate of Oman’s integration of technologies of artificial intelligence (AI) into the educational process. She highlighted Oman’s active participation in international meetings to shape the post-2030 education agenda—notably through the country’s membership in the SDG 4–Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee, noting that Oman's participation in such meetings affirms its keenness to keep pace with global future developments in the education sector.She also referred to the establishment of the "UNESCO Chair on Waste-to-Fuel Innovations at Muscat University", bringing the total number of UNESCO Chairs in the Sultanate of Oman to nine.Oman’s Permanent Delegate to the UNESCO also stressed the need to enhance UNESCO’s role in supporting the sectors of education and culture in conflict-affected areas. She commended the UNESCO’s efforts valuable response to challenges.In her speech, Oman’s Permanent Delegate to the UNESCO also highlighted the Sultanate of Oman’s international initiative codenamed "Muscat Plan" as a vital framework for fostering dialogue, addressing conflicts and consolidating social cohesion. In addition, she reiterated the Sultanate of Oman’s support for the "UNESCO 80" initiative.