Monday 01 / September / 2025
Muscat: The National Records and Archives Authority (NRAA) will organise a symposium titled "Dhofar in the Memory of Omani History" on 14 September 2025 in the Wilayat of Salalah.
The event will be held under the auspices of HH Sayyid Marwan Turki Al Said, Governor of Dhofar.
The symposium is a key milestone in the Authority's series of academic events, which have previously highlighted the history of Musandam, Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah, South Al Sharqiyah, and North Al Batinah. The Dhofar installment will focus on its rich civilizational and human heritage, which spans thousands of years.
The symposium will feature 33 working papers presented by researchers and academics from Oman and abroad. The topics are divided into five main themes: historical and political, economic and social, cultural and scientific, and documents, manuscripts, and oral history.
These papers aim to highlight Dhofar's historical significance and its role in shaping Omani and human identity. They will also explore the implications of its strategic geographical location and the openness it fostered with civilizations of the East and West. The symposium will also focus on ancient caravan routes and trade journeys that originated from its plains and mountains, making the land of frankincense an uninterrupted civilizational bridge.
Over three days, seven academic sessions will discuss various topics, including political events, historical treaties, influential figures, economic and social activities, aflaj and water resources, the role of women in society, the scientific and intellectual output of Dhofar's scholars and writers, defensive fortifications, archaeological sites, and the documents, manuscripts, and oral histories that preserve the collective memory of the region.
The symposium aims to reinterpret the history of the governorate within a broader civilizational context and educate future generations about its pioneering role in human history. Dhofar, the land of frankincense, will remain a living testament to the richness of the past and present and the enduring Omani identity across time and place.
