Omani Women's Day

Today is the first Omani Women's Day as established by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos:

“We call upon Omani women everywhere, in the villages and the cities, in both urban and Bedu communities, in the hills and mountains, to roll up their sleeves and contribute to the process of economic and social development…We have great faith in the educated young Omani women to work devotedly to assist their sisters in their local communities to develop their skills and abilities, both practically and intellectually, in order to contribute to our Omani Renaissance which demands the utilization of our entire national genius, for the realization of our country’s glory and prosperity. We call upon Omani women to shoulder this vital role in the community and we are confident that they will respond to this call.”

-His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.


This is one of many articles in recent local press, courtesy of Khaleej Times Online : http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/October/middleeast_October43.xml&section=middleeast

"Oman’s women are preparing to celebrate their first annual day this month and the country’s 40th National Day in unmatched style — by presenting their leader with the longest message of greetings in the world.

The two-km-long, 1.25-metre-wide letter, carrying messages of gratitude, loyalty and affection from more than 100,000 Omani and expatriate women to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, is sure to find an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records, promoters of the project said.

The sultanate is set to mark the first ‘Omani Women’s Day’ (OWD) on October 17 as decided by a high-profile national symposium held last year coinciding with Sultan Qaboos’ annual ‘Meet the People’ tour to acknowledge women’s contribution to the country’s social, political and economic progress.

Social Development Minister Dr Sharifah bint Khaflan Al Yahyaiyah launched the ‘My Message’ initiative during a Press conference here on Saturday, saying it would focus on three major themes – safety and security, equal opportunities, rights and social justice.

She added the letter, a 375-kg paper roll made of special ‘tyvak’ material that is resistant to tear and water, would give a new impetus to women, encouraging them to play an even more active role in the country’s development.
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Sharifah said other activities planned for the first OWD included an exclusive women’s forum and an operetta showcasing women’s accomplishments in the past four decades, an art exhibition, an open day for sports and a literary evening. “The observation of OWD is a significant step in translating the vision of His Majesty the Sultan for sustainable development in the social sector and reflects His Majesty’s initiative on development in building the country according to its potential and abilities,” she added.

The minister also praised a newly-launched women’s campaign, ‘Oman 2010’, by a group of youngsters to acknowledge the advances made by women in the sultanate. A not-for-profit effort, the campaign aims at direct interaction with the community through various events, such as competitions, networking and electronic capacity-building programmes at the national level.

Eman Al Rafay, who heads the project, said the goal was to provide a national platform for women to develop self-confidence, expand their participation in community development and education and highlight the opportunities available to them".

Although the best quote has be to from Gulf News: "The day will be celebrated at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel, where participants will present ideas on how to develop personality traits in women and change stereotypical concepts about women's abilities".

Happy First Omani Women's Day!