Tunis, Tunisia – His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik received the Arab Cultural Excellence Medal -Supreme Class – by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) during an official ceremony on Tuesday held in the Tunisian capital.

Dr Hilal Abdullah Al Sinani, Ambassador of Oman to Tunisia, received the medal on His Majesty’s behalf. The medal, the first of its kind awarded by ALECSO since its founding in 1970, reflects Arab recognition of the distinguished cultural and civilisational standing of Oman. It also acknowledges His Majesty’s pioneering role in fostering culture and knowledge, and in advancing intellectual and cognitive development across the Arab world.

In his address, Mohamed Ould Amar, the Director-General of ALECSO, stated that awarding the medal to His Majesty Sultan Haitham represents a moment of Arab gratitude to a leader who has made culture a national project and knowledge a civilisational vision. He praised the civilisational model achieved by the sultanate under His Majesty’s wise leadership – a model that balances authenticity and modernity, and strengthens culture as a soft power for development and a tool for embedding the values of peace, tolerance, and dialogue.

He noted that this honour is not limited to His Majesty personally, but rather recognises a national and civilisational journey that has firmly established culture’s role in building the future of the Arab individual. It also reaffirms Oman’s presence in supporting joint Arab cultural action, preserving heritage, and promoting dialogue and rapprochement among peoples. He expressed ALECSO’s appreciation for the support it receives from Oman and its pride in the cooperative relations between both sides in serving Arab culture and enhancing its global presence.

During the ceremony, a film was screened, featuring the intellectual and cultural vision of His Majesty the Sultan along with the achievements and rich tangible and intangible historical heritage realised in Oman, deeply rooted in human history.

On the occasion, Sayyid Saud Hilal Al Busaidi, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, stated that the ALECSO award reflects His Majesty’s vision of establishing culture as a central pillar of comprehensive development and as a means to highlight the values of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence. It also recognises His Majesty’s ongoing commitment to supporting intellectual activity, thereby contributing to human understanding and regional and international stability, he added.