Muscat: Leveraging the enduring relationship between the Sultanate of Oman and the United Kingdom, the expedition project titled "Oman: The Jewel of Arabia" is set to be formally inaugurated on Monday, November 25, in London. This event will be graced by the distinguished presence of His Royal Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth of the Sultanate of Oman, alongside His Royal Highness Prince William, Prince of Wales.
The expedition, meticulously planned for January 2025, will embark on a historic journey along a route that has been traversed by explorers for centuries. It will start at Ras Al Hadd, located in the Wilayat of Sur, South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, and will follow the coastline to the vibrant city of Salalah in the Dhofar Governorate. This 30-day odyssey is designed to foster a unique cultural exchange between Omani youth and British travel enthusiasts.
The primary objectives of this project are to enhance the skills of young Omanis in exploration, heritage preservation, and sustainable environmental practices. It also pays tribute to the pioneering British explorer Bertram Thomas, who in 1928 achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first European to traverse the Rub’ Al Khali desert, also known as The Empty Quarter, along ancient Omani trade routes.
The inaugural launch event will showcase a collection of artifacts from Thomas’s remarkable expedition.
This initiative is being led by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in the United Kingdom.
The expedition is set to be documented through a film and a book, both of which are expected to be published upon the conclusion of the journey, offering a comprehensive account of the participants’ experiences and the journey itself.
