Muscat: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has visited the Royal Opera House Muscat on the second day of his state visit to the Sultanate of Oman.
Upon his arrival, Sheikh Mohamed was received by Kamil bin Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Oman, and Nasr bin Hamoud Al Kindi, Secretary-General of Royal Court Affairs of Oman.
During his tour, His Highness witnessed a special musical performance by the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra and learnt how the orchestra was founded under the guidance of His Majesty the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said. He also enjoyed musical performances by the Omani Royal Guard Military Band, reported Wam.
The UAE President was briefed on the history of the Royal Opera House Muscat and its design which blends elements of Omani architecture with influences from around the world. His Highness viewed a selection of musical instruments and witnessed the venue’s state-of-the-art technology and facilities.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed left the following message in the VIP guestbook, “I was pleased to visit the impressive Royal Opera House and listen to the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra, whose performance seamlessly blended tradition and modernity. The arts are a common global language that can act as a bridge between cultures. They are an important means of promoting understanding and spreading the human values of peace and coexistence among people, the same values that Oman enjoys under the leadership of my brother His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, the Sultan of Oman.”
Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohamed also visited the National Museum in Muscat. His Highness was briefed on the museum’s galleries and its extensive collection of over 7,000 artefacts that document and celebrate Oman’s rich cultural heritage.
During the tour, Sheikh Mohamed visited the Sultan Qaboos bin Said exhibit, which is home to a collection of personal belongings and items relating to His Majesty the late Sultan Qaboos. The collection includes gifts presented to the late Sultan by other world leaders, among them a model of Abu Dhabi’s Qasr Al Hosn and a sword presented to Sultan Qaboos by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
His Highness also visited a section of the museum featuring exhibits from the collection of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which are on display in Muscat thanks to the cooperation framework between the National Museum and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
The tour included a briefing by officials explaining the National Museum’s mission to raise awareness of Oman’s past and preserve items that illustrate its people’s history and culture. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed heard how the museum achieves this by employing the best international practices in museum management, collections management and visitor services.
The National Museum’s collection spans an area of 4,000 square metres and is housed in 14 separate galleries, each covering a different aspect of Oman’s cultural heritage.
Writing in the museum’s guestbook, Sheikh Mohamed said, “I was very pleased to visit The National Museum in the Sultanate of Oman. I enjoyed learning about its rich collection that embodies the story of the Omani people, their long history and the eagerness of the Sultanate – under the leadership of my brother, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq – to showcase its culture. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the museum officials for their efforts and convey my best wishes for a successful future.”
Accompanying the UAE President on his visit were Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State; Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security; Jabr Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Minister of State at the Presidential Court; Mohamed Sultan Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador to Oman; Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Chief Executive Officer at ADQ; and Major General Khalifa Rashid Juma Al Hamli, the President’s Aide-de-Camp.
