Muscat – As part of the Festival, the Ministry is offering a diverse range of interactive workshops, exhibitions, and presentations aimed at engaging students and the public in the country’s rich cultural and natural heritage.
The participation spans across multiple festival corners, with notable activities taking place in the ‘Biodiversity Corner’. Here, experts from the Natural History Museum lead four daily workshops focused on various aspects of Oman’s natural history. Students have the opportunity to explore fossils and rocks, engage in recycling activities using environmental materials, and learn through creative workshops on shell painting, sand colouring, and live drawing of museum collections.
Additionally, specialists from the Ministry’s Restoration and Maintenance Department are offering practical workshops on the preparation of mortars, including how to identify their components, types, shapes, and uses. The Geological Heritage Department also contributes to the festival with an interactive session on meteorites, covering their history, formation, and locations in Oman where they have been discovered.
In the same corner, the Oman Botanic Garden is hosting three daily workshops, including a ‘Plant Clinic’, which focuses on plant health and diagnostic methods; a workshop on ‘Seed Dispersal’ and its importance in nature; and a fun competition called ‘Treasures from Our Environment’, where students can enjoy exploring and learning about the natural world around them.
The Ministry’s participation extends beyond the Biodiversity Corner. The ‘Cultural Heritage Register and Combating Illicit Trafficking Department’ is leading an awareness workshop, focusing on the preservation and protection of Oman’s cultural heritage. Meanwhile, the Frankincense Land Museum is presenting an engaging ‘Frankincense Caravans’ experience, where visitors can learn about the historical and cultural significance of frankincense, its extraction methods, and its role in Oman’s ancient trade routes. This is displayed alongside the ‘Underwater Antiquities Exhibition’, which showcases findings from archaeological research, including models and artifacts from the wrecks of two ships from Vasco da Gama’s fleet, discovered off the Omani coast.
The Ministry is also presenting a cutting-edge interactive display at the ‘Smart Cities Corner’, where visitors can experience the virtual reality-based project that documents Oman’s historical monuments. Using special VR glasses, attendees can virtually tour some of the country’s most famous archaeological and historical sites, immersing themselves in Oman’s rich heritage from a modern technological perspective.
The Oman Science Festival, which runs until November 11, 2024, at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center, is dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding of science and innovation. The event aims to stimulate creative thinking, encourage scientific exploration, and inspire students to innovate, preparing them for a future in a knowledge-based economy.
With daily activities from 9 am to 8 am across Halls 3, 4, and 5, the Ministry’s participation in the Oman Science Festival 2024 reflects its commitment to promoting public awareness of the country’s heritage, fostering dialogue between science and culture, and encouraging youth engagement in scientific disciplines.
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