Almutasim al Mahmoodi was born in the 90s in Manah, in a time when his parents already moved away from the crumbling walls of Harith al Bilad.
His parents had told him well of what it was like walking its maze-like alleys, of the challenges of not having electricity or air-conditioning and even the challenge of proper water and sanitation.
The conditions they had to live with were very different from what he experiences now and while he enjoys the luxury of big malls or the convenience of health centres and educational institutions, a lot of kids during the day of his parents weren’t as fortunate.
“Harith al Bilad is a reminder of both good times and bad times. That place meant so much to my parents and the changes and growth sweeping the country since His Majesty took the helm of the country is something that always reminds us how far Oman has grown,” he shared.
“The people of Oman had been blessed to have a leader who stood up for his people and has dedicated his life into making sure that the future is much better than the past,” he added.
Almustasim is just one of the many young people who, although have not seen the hardships of the past, can now enjoy the fruit of the work of the people who came before them.
“It’s quite hard to describe the gratefulness we feel. It’s hard to put into words the feelings every Omani feels of what the Renaissance Day has done for our parents, to us, and ultimately, the future generation,” shared Asmaa al Rubaie, a student from Sultan Qaboos University.
“This day is important, not just for me but all Omanis, wherever in the world they are located now because today was the beginning of how Oman moved from darkness to light,” she said.
“We are greatly indebted to people who made everything possible — who worked hard and work for hand in hand to create an even better future,” she added.
From rough roads only camels and donkeys can pass by, the country now enjoys major road infrastructures that cut travel time to more than half than it used to. Moving from one location to another has become easier with the help of aerial transport and water transport. Even getting to the far corners of the Sultanate, like Masirah Island and Salalah has become easier and faster.
“You can call today as the day Oman has a rebirth — a beginning of a new life for all people,” shared political science student Asma al Shaksi.
“It’s the reason why everyone looks up to His Majesty because he made sure that his people are in a much better place than how we were in the past. We now have access to better education and better opportunities. Our economy is working well compared to other countries and most importantly, we have peace. This is one of the biggest problems in the world today and we see people being displaced and their number grows every year,” she added.
“You don’t need a microscope to see these developments, they are right in your face. There is a qualitative shift and if you hear the stories by the older generation, and you see the things around you now, you will realise that there are tangible achievements. With the massive growth we are still seeing today, I am optimistic about the future and it makes me believe that there is nothing impossible to achieve,” said Basel al Rawahi.
“His Majesty envisioned Oman to become an oasis of safety and development for its children and that they may live a comfortable life. We have this now. We have access to a decent life and for this, we celebrate the Renaissance day with pride,” he added.
BY YERU EBUEN & Angham al Matrushi
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