Muscat: The inaugural edition of Bridging Nations was held at Kempinski with Interculturality, Inclusivity, and SDGs initiative under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Dr Kamil bin Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers on Sunday morning.
The event sees a cultural collaboration hosted in Muscat with the involvement of the venerable 109-year-old Academic Society Arts-Sciences-Lettres from France, known for promoting excellence in the arts and sciences, significantly enriching the initiative. Together, the participants are creating paintings that draw inspiration from the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In his statement, Sayyid Dr Kamil said: "This partnership not only highlights the global significance of Oman's cultural scene but also showcases the transformative power of art in bridging diverse cultures and fostering inclusivity. I am particularly inspired by the innovative approach of this initiative, which pairs children and young adults with special needs alongside seasoned Omani artists.”
He stated that as people continue to advance on the journey of artistic expression and cultural exchange, he is confident that the 'Bridging Nations' initiative will emerge as a beacon of the positive changes that collaborative and compassionate efforts can bring about. “Let us all continue to support and engage in such valuable initiatives, paving the way for a more inclusive and interconnected world,” Sayyid Dr Kamil stated.
The Arts-Sciences-Lettres academic society of Paris is a society of encouragement and education for the promotion of artists, people of letters, scientists. It establishes each year an international list.
The chairman of the academic society, Fernand Girard, said, "I am delighted to welcome this year the expression of our Omani artist friends. It is a long journey of friendship that we will take together from Muscat to Paris on October 6 for the proclamation of the 109th list during the big ceremony. The world needs artists, people of letters, researchers. They give us the means to know and recognise ourselves, to transform ourselves, to include everyone according to their own talent, to universalise the fundamentals of culture.”
Lujaina bint Mohsin Haider Darwish, special guest at the event, said, "The initiative highlighted the most related issues of our times, which are encouraging inclusivity, collaboration and building a sustainable future. It is remarkable that Oman has been chosen as the host country for the inaugural edition, as it gives an opportunity to celebrate the talent of Oman’s differently abled youth and children on an international platform."
The 17 seasoned artists are currently going through a workshop as mentors to 17 children and youth with special needs at the Music Palace in Al Mouj. The owner of Music Palace, Sayyidah Susan al Said, said she is proud to have all the artists at the venue. “Art is the voice of all people. It is inclusivity whether it is art or music. It is celebration of people who perhaps may not be able to express it in an average way. Bringing the people on this platform is very important. And this vision of Bridging Nations is important,” she said.
A special jury will pick two gold medalists and two silver medalists and the winners will be awarded on May 8th.
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