Culture, Youth & Sports
From The Report: Oman 2013
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Oman’s cultural heritage is renowned throughout the region and beyond, and much of the government’s effort in relation to it has been exerted on its preservation and ensuring that the sultanate’s young population is imbued with the richness of its past. The nation’s youth are also the principal target of a drive to enhance Oman’s sporting infrastructure and proficiency, a strategy that has already established the sultanate as a growing destination for international sporting events. Indeed, a significant level of government funding has been set aside for sport development, with the 2011-15 five-year plan investing some $64m in infrastructure development, including improvements to sports complexes and clubs, as well as for new facilities.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Active engagement: Enhancing sporting infrastructure and investing in cultural activity
OBG
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Oman’s cultural heritage is renowned throughout the region and beyond, and much of the government’s effort in relation to it has been exerted on its preservation and ensuring that the sultanate’s young population is imbued with the richness of its past. The nation’s youth are also the principal target of a drive to enhance Oman’s sporting infrastructure and proficiency, a strategy that has already established the sultanate as a growing destination for international sporting events. Culture…

Analysis

Priority projects: Investing in youth training and entrepreneurship
OBG
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The provision of employment opportunities for Oman’s young population has become a primary concern of the government in recent years. While the sultanate has escaped the recent political turbulence that has afflicted other parts of the region, Oman’s median age of 24.1 (compared, for example, to a median age of 40.2 in the UK) underlines the need to address the needs of this segment of the population. The impetus behind a move by Oman to create jobs for young nationals comes from the top: in…

Analysis

Plain sailing: Taking to the seas to develop skills and values among the young
OBG
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Given Oman’s maritime history, it is perhaps unsurprising that it has turned to the sea for inspiration in its bid to provide new opportunities for its youthful population. Oman Sail’s core purpose is to act as a national initiative that will contribute to the development of young Omanis through sport, and its ambitious goal to teach 70,000 children to sail by 2020 represents a significant social development initiative being undertaken in the country. The benefits that it offers include the rekindling…