Completion of ‘Shawar al Ard’ programme marked in Dhofar

SALALAH, May 1 - The Directorate-General of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Dhofar Governorate celebrated the ‘Shawar al Ard’ (beautification or decoration of land) programme and the specialised training for religious cadres in Dhofar Governorate. The event, which drew a large number of people from all walks of life, was organised jointly by the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Dhofar University and Al Azhar University. The ceremony was attended by Shaikh Salem bin Mustahil al Mashani, Adviser to the Diwan of Royal Court; Shaikh Abdullah bin Mohammed al Salmi, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs; Mohammed bin Sultan al Busaidy, Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar, and a large number of dignitaries and officials. The event noted the fact that out of 141 participants qualified for the programme, there were 56 men and 85 women with 336 teaching hours dedicated to men and 120 to women respectively. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ahmed bin Ali al Kaabi, Director-General of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Dhofar, said it was important to inculcate human values among people along with doing development because a civilisation is judged or measured by the human values among its people. “Advancement of this world depends hugely on upholding the human values, which in turn is the only guarantee to save the future generations from all sorts of looming dangers,” he said. Al Kaabi put stress on the fact that the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs plays an important role in consolidating these values. “It has worked to develop plans and programmes locally and internationally to ensure the preservation of the authentic Omani heritage derived from the teachings of our true religion. These programmes are consistent with the aspirations and directions of His Majesty the Sultan. He appreciated the specialised training programme for religious cadres held at Dhofar University in cooperation with Al Azhar University. ‘Shawar al Ard’ programme marked the glorious journey of Oman which gave maximum importance to human values. This is an effort also to transfer these values to the young generation of the country to carry it forward to coming generations. The programme, according to the participants, was an inclusive and interactive learning experience as it included recitation, speech and singing to discover talents and exhorting them to become good citizens.