MUSCAT – Under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham bin Tarik Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Bait Al Zubair celebrated the release of the fourth and updated edition of Mohammad Al Zubair‘s book ‘Oman My Beautiful Country’ recently. The first edition was published in 2002. Published by BAZ Publishing, the book is a visual journey through the Sultanate and includes ten chapters with photographs of ‘Muscat, Architecture, Seas and Coastlines, Deserts, Oases, Nature, Mountains and Wadis, Khareef, Culture and People’. Mohammad Al Zubair has documented Oman’s most prominent monuments and landmarks across all Governorates of the Sultanate, making the book a valuable addition to the visual content available on Oman. This edition includes texts in five languages: Arabic, English, German, French and Russian.
In a message to the readers, the author says: “Whenever I travel abroad, people always tell me that they have wonderful impressions of Oman and that they consider it one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Through my passion for photography, I have tried my best to showcase the Sultanate’s diverse beauty and unique landmarks. The result is a visual journey to some of Oman’s hidden treasures, for visitors to explore. At a time when our nation is witnessing growth in tourism, the number of visitors and people interested in Oman, I have tried to add to the visual content available about our beautiful home and its attractions. This is especially important with the advances in digital photography and how people communicate through social mediums. Since the publishing of the first edition of ‘Oman My Beautiful Country’, the Sultanate has been on a journey of growth, marking many milestones along the way. Improvements to all areas of life have not impacted our environment or nature. I felt it necessary to revisit the book regularly and publish updated editions that document our progress and successes.”
A new element of the fourth edition of ‘Oman My Beautiful Country’ was the development of a website www.myoman.com which allows readers to explore the locations and landmarks featured in the book through short videos and photographs. It can be accessed by scanning one of the QR codes found in the book. Speaking about Oman in the introduction of the book, Mohammad Al Zubair says: “Oman is not known as a boastful nation; however there are many notable things about the Sultanate which continue to highlight it as one of the most beautiful countries in the region. With its rich heritage and embracing society, Oman has a strong sense of identity. This is all owed to the wise and thoughtful leadership of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur – may the Almighty rest his soul in peace –, who made the people and their education, as well as the preservation of culture, tradition, and history a high priority. Oman today is proud of its ancient sea faring roots and its frankincense-trading past, and is confident in the creation of an economically strong and highly educated society that will see the Sultanate thrive under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq – May the Almighty protect and preserve him – and for hundreds of years to come.”
Mohammad Al Zubair concludes, “Since the first edition published in 2002, ‘Oman My Beautiful Country’ has evolved with the changes shaping our prosperous nation. Photographs of the Sultanate’s shifting urban landscapes are coupled with striking mountains and valleys that trace the deeply rooted history permeating through Oman’s grounds. I have documented the terrains, coastlines, and architecture in a number of photos in stills evoking the warmth of Oman.”
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