Muscat – Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science declared winners of the 11th Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature on Wednesday.

The announcement was made by Habib bin Mohammed al Riyami, Secretary-General of the centre, at a press briefing in Muscat. This year’s awards are exclusively for Omani citizens.

The award this year focuses on studies on the Omani environment in the Culture category, radio programmes in the Arts category, and classical Arabic poetry in the Literature category. Nominations for the award were open from March 31 to July 21.

In the Arts category, Ahmed bin Salem al Kalbani won for his radio podcast ‘Witness Beyond the Ordinary’ and Shamsa bint Abdullah al Naamani’s collection of poems ‘Maqamat Zulaykha’ claimed the Literature award. The award was withheld in the Culture category.

Riyami informed that 136 applicants met the nomination criteria this year. Of these, 18 were nominated in the field of Omani environmental studies, 49 in radio programmes and 69 in classical Arabic poetry.

The award alternates focus every year; in one cycle, it is open to all Arabs, allowing Omanis to compete alongside other Arab nationals, while in the next, it is limited to Omanis.

The award celebrates the contributions of intellectuals, artists and writers who help renew thought and raise awareness, underscoring Oman’s role in enriching human civilisation with intellectual and cultural achievements.

The award was established by Royal Decree No 18/2011, issued on February 27, 2011, as part of a national commitment to promoting intellectual, artistic and literary accomplishments. It recognises Oman’s historic role in fostering cultural awareness as a fundamental element in the progress of human civilisation, supporting intellectuals, artists and writers as key contributors to global cultural advancement.