Muscat: Thousands of Omani students presented a breathtaking display at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Saturday to mark the 40th National Day anniversary.
About 12,000 students took part in a drill bathed in spectacular laser show to celebrate the country's ruby anniversary.
The occasion was graced by Syed Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al Saeed, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, representing Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed.
The spectacle, organised by the Education Ministry, presented the theme "Peace and Sustainable Development".
The students presented five tableaux expressing loyalty and gratitude to the builder of modern Oman, Sultan Qaboos.
The students re-enacted the glorious history of the Sultanate and its renaissance. They highlighted the concepts of sustainable development, peace and prosperity.
Fusion music
Utilising the latest acoustic and illumination facilities, the programme included a mixture of musical pieces and songs that blended the Omani folklore with oriental and international music.
The first tableau, titled "Joy", included a number of scenes that expressed the concepts of warm reception, education and knowledge (represented by the images of a school and a book), peace and the map of Oman.
The second tableau titled "The Source of Heritage" symbolised the attention accorded by the Sultan to the conservation of the Omani heritage. It indicated that, while adopting modernisation, the Sultanate is inspired by its deep heritage through thousands of years of deep-rooted civilisation and Islamic teachings of tolerance.
The tableau on "Civilisation Makers", depicted various aspects of the prosperous reign of Sultan Qaboos and the achievements in the fields of education, health, industry, agriculture, arts and modern technology.
Right spirit
A tableau on "Society of Knowledge", highlighted the uses of modern technology, particularly the telecommunication boom and the Sultanate's keenness on information technology and the e-governance.
"Allegiance and Gratitude" saw the students chanting the praise of Renaissance and celebration of its 40th anniversary, reiterating the pledge of loyalty and gratitude to the Sultan.
