Muscat: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth has entered into a significant partnership with the Arab Music Academy, an affiliate of the Arab League, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing cultural cooperation in music, singing, and folk arts.

According to Oman News Agency, the MoU was signed by Sayyid Said bin Sultan Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture, and Dr. Kifah Fakhoury, Secretary-General of the Arab Music Academy. The agreement focuses on collaboration in organizing music festivals and events, establishing musical bands and libraries, and the exchange of experts and artists. This initiative seeks to enrich the Arab cultural scene and foster the development of creative industries by encouraging joint artistic productions using Omani folk arts.

Dr. Ines Abdel-Dayem, President of the Arab Music Academy, highlighted the cooperation between Oman and the Academy as a model for constructive collaboration that benefits both part
ies and supports the preservation of Arab musical heritage. She emphasized the achievements stemming from this partnership, including the Oman Centre for Traditional Music’s recognition with the International Music Council Prize in 2002 and the Arab Music Academy Prize in 2005. Recent accomplishments include Omani artist Amir Awadh’s win in the Arab Music Composition Competition in 2023 and the appointment of Ru’a Al Lamki as Head of the Folk Musical Heritage Committee.

During the MoU signing, the book “Folk Musical Arts in the Arab Countries and the Risk of Their Extinction” was inaugurated. The book contains 16 research papers from a symposium during the 27th session of the Arab Music Academy General Conference, hosted by Oman from March 13-15, 2023.