Muscat – Oman has gifted a commemorative plaque to World Trade Organization (WTO) to mark the visit of H H Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham al Said to its headquarters in Geneva on June 21, 2023.

Created by Omani artist Salem bin Khamis al Salami, the plaque is a symbolic representation of Oman’s civilisational heritage, natural diversity and its future development vision. It was created under the supervision of Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion in collaboration with Omani Society for Arts, which is affiliated to Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.

Presentation of the plaque reflects Oman’s approach to cultural diplomacy and its growing engagement with international institutions. H E Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, said, “This initiative reflects Oman’s commitment to promoting cultural exchange and building international partnerships through the arts.” He also praised H H Sayyid Bilarab’s role in promoting art as a means of global communication.

H E Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Culture in Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, described the gift as a “cultural and civilisational statement” aligned with Oman Vision 2040.

H E Idris bin Abdulrahman al Khanjari, Oman’s Permanent Representative to United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, emphasised the diplomatic significance of the gesture. The plaque is now displayed in WTO’s Salle des Pas Perdus, a space reserved for artwork that celebrate dialogue and multilateral cooperation.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of WTO, said, “A nice ceremony to unveil the beautiful painting gifted by Oman to WTO. The occasion also marked Oman’s 25th year of accession to WTO. We appreciate Oman for this wonderful gift. Congratulations and many thanks to H H Sayyid Bilarab who took special interest in this project, to the artist, to the ambassador and the team for the hard work.”