Celebrating the 49th National Day of Oman

T-Mag Wednesday 13/November/2019 18:58 PM
By: Times News Service
Celebrating the 49th National Day of Oman

Of all the landmark days in the history of Oman, 18 November is quite easily the most important.

Every year, the nation celebrates the Sultan’s birthday as National Day, with preparations to mark this significant occasion beginning weeks before. While streets are bedecked with red, white and green decorations, people often go all out in lovingly decorating their cars with the national symbols of the Sultanate – the Khanjar and two crossed swords – as well as the flag, and images of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, with the Royal Oman Police, for the duration of the celebrations, relaxing their normally strict rules that forbid decorations on private vehicles that are driven in public.

Flags flutter on all of Oman’s main roads, and serve to only heighten the feeling of national pride that all of us in this country – whether Omani or expatriate – feel at this time of the year. It is a sentiment that is mutually shared among many in the country. On the occasion of the 49th National Day of the Sultanate of Oman, T Weekly spoke to people in the country about what this day meant to them.

**media[1076311]**

Maimunah Shebani, founder, The Retail Centre and retail sector representative, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The importance of National Day
National Day is a time to count our blessings. A day to come together to reflect on the achievements accomplished in Oman as well as looking forward to building a better future.

What National Day means to me as an Omani
As National Day draws nearer, a great sense of pride and gratitude towards Oman sweeps over me. We are so blessed to live in a world-class modern country, with low crime, social harmony and economic development. You can’t say that about many countries in the world.

A message I wish to share on National Day
May we strive to stay united as a nation and may we all put extra effort and a personally commit to giving back (within our means) to Oman.

The goals I have set for the coming months
My goals in the coming months is to help Omani jobseekers find careers in the retail sector. The retail sector offers tremendous career opportunities.

**media[1076312]**

Safiya Al Habsi, founder, Slice Bakery Oman

The importance of National Day
It’s a reminder of how incredibly lucky we are as Omanis to have such a supportive, peace loving leader. It’s also a day of remembrance of the old Oman we knew from old photos and the stories told by our elders, and the modern-day Oman that we know and love so dearly.

What National Day means to me as an Omani
It’s such a positive feeling and you can’t help but feel full of pride to be an Omani on this day. It is also a day on which we feel very lucky to have such a wise and peace loving leader at the helm of our nation. It’s a day I personally look forward to celebrating every year and work very hard to reflect the happiness and positivity in the baked goodies for both my retail and corporate customers. I enjoy seeing the smiles and experience the celebrations and the happy vibes we get to witness when delivering our customers’ orders to them or experiencing the same from our walk-in customers.

A message I wish to share on National Day
Be positive, be different, never let go of opportunities, be humble and work hard to make your dreams come true. We all start from humble beginnings and it’s perfectly alright to start small.

The goals I have set for the coming months
Expand my bakery display products, maintain high quality and run smoothly from our new location.

**media[1076308]**

Ali Al Barwani, member, Oman Road Safety Association

The importance of National Day
It is crucial as many of us in Oman consider it as a day dedicated to our own country. We feel a great sense of belonging to our country and the phrase ‘my country’ reigns supreme in our thoughts. In addition, this is a celebration that engraves memories of the country into people’s hearts.

What National Day means to me as an Omani
To me, this day means a lot. This day is a day on which I wholly dedicate my acts to the country and fill myself with patriotism, so that I can be proud of my country and its accomplishments.

A message I wish to share on National Day
This is our country, Oman, and we are the people to whom this great country belongs. We should believe in our country, because a country is not simply a piece of land that contains minerals and natural resources, but its most important resources are its people. Yes, the natural resources are important, but the people always make the heart and soul of a country. The stronger a person, the stronger a nation will become. However, if people are weak, the country will be nothing but a piece of ordinary land and will act as nothing other than a patch of floor for humans to stand on, and when that land starts falling apart its people will fall one by one like leaves on a tree going through a long, cold, harsh winter.

The goals I have set for the coming months
I wish to increase the ways in which I can be useful to my country.

**media[1076310]**

Fahad Al Abri, The Handstand Man

The importance of National Day
I believe that celebrating Oman is very important, because we need to remind ourselves that Oman is not just a land, it is an idea led by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said through peace and harmony. Celebrating this will honour all the efforts Oman has undertaken.

What National Day means to me as an Omani
It’s not just about the current efforts to the economy, it’s not about the land itself, but the vision of the idea itself...what Oman stands for to the world and to us Omanis. I believe we are making the right efforts and taking the right steps towards where we see ourselves in the future.

A message I wish to share on National Day
As an Omani, I would say that celebrating National Day is about celebrating the achievements we have accomplished across this land. It is about celebrating peace, celebrating understanding, celebrating togetherness, and celebrating our beautiful environment.

The goals I have set for the coming months
I founded a movement called Move Green to celebrate the environment. We are a voluntary organisation and we are about showing more love to the earth and more love to Oman. In the coming months, we are going to spread more awareness across Oman, and we are going to be travelling across Oman to celebrate environmental awareness and love to the earth.

**media[1076309]**

Mukund Manohar, President, Indian School Muscat Alumni Association (ISMA)

The importance of National Day
As an expat who has grown up in Oman, National Day is a joyous occasion that I have always looked forward to. National Day brings everyone together to celebrate our benevolent and gracious ruler and the people and heritage of Oman. Oman and the Omani people have a warm and hospitable culture with a rich history, and this day celebrates the greatness of this country.
I am ever grateful for the opportunity to grow up in Oman and being able to pursue my education in the Indian school system. His Majesty’s generosity and magnanimity have given us the Indian schools in Oman, which benefits the entire Indian community and also allows us to study in an environment that fosters self-development and excellence.

What National Day means to me as an expat living in Oman
National Day in Oman every year is an opportunity for me to reflect upon everything this country has provided me, and more importantly be thankful and grateful for growing up in this welcoming and harmonious society. The people of Oman display genuine respect and care for each other and are very hospitable to the expat community. This exemplary quality from the Omani people gives us a sense of warmth and comfort and makes us feel right at home.

A message I wish to share on National Day
A message I would like to share with my fellow expats is to celebrate National Day by finding ways to give back to the Omani community. National Day is an opportunity to be appreciative of Oman and its people, and find meaningful ways to give back to the country that has made a significant difference in our lives.

The goals I have set for the coming months
At Indian School Muscat Alumni, we always look for ways to give back to the School and the community that has been the core foundation of our education. In 2019, we gave out tuition scholarships to 50 students from low-income families.
We plan to host several other fundraising events that will help us continue this scholarship programme and support the education of those truly deserving of this. One of the other goals we have is to develop and expand our mentorship program that will help connect students with experienced alumni in various professional fields and careers across the globe.

**media[1076313]**
Ali Al Rahma, co-founder, One Oman

The importance of National Day
National Day is a very important day because it symbolises a celebration of any sort, be it a country’s independence, the birthday of the ruler of a nation, or any celebration that commemorates happiness and success. As far as Oman’s National Day goes, it is very special because it marks two celebrations in one. The first being the birthday of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, and the second being the number of years His Majesty has ruled Oman. National Day also marks the developments of the country under the wise leadership of His Majesty.

What National Day means to me as an Omani
As an Omani, National Day is a festive season. It actually starts on the first of November and runs for the whole month, where cars are decorated with the colours of the Omani flag, photos of His Majesty and quotes from His Majesty. Also, National Day makes me a very proud Omani because of all the developments that His Majesty made over the past 49 years to build a country that is seen on the global stage as a peaceful, welcoming nation, with friendly people. I am really proud of that.

A message I wish to share on National Day
I would like to wish His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said the best of health and a long life. May God shower His Majesty with good health. I would like to wish the people of Oman great prosperity and happiness. Celebrations, blessings and happiness are very much needed.

The goals I have set for the coming months
I would like to develop my new platform, One Oman, which is a platform run by youth for the youth, and Oman’s first Sustainable Development Goals platform, to establish its fingerprint not only locally, but regionally and internationally. All the youth in Oman can help in developing this platform. Oman is heading towards sustainability, and I hope that my team’s contributions will be an added asset to Oman’s efforts in that direction.

**media[1076315]**
Sajda Al Ghaithy, Marketing and Media Director, Ithraa

The importance of National Day
It’s an important opportunity to express our gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for his inspired leadership and wise guidance. It’s a chance to reflect on the collaborative journey His Majesty has inspired and celebrate the different communities, institutions, organisations and individuals who contribute daily to Oman’s success.

What National Day means to me as an Omani
It’s a day to be proud of our achievements as well as focus on our ambitions for the future.

A message I wish to share on National Day
Oman is bustling with new opportunities. Having just finished Oman Export Week, I’m bowled over by the amazing work being done by so many small companies right across Oman. That work deserves to be known and celebrated.

The goals I have set for the coming months
Dream big