Saturday 16 / November / 2024
Muscat: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, in step with its vision ‘To serve you better, everyday’ and commitment to partnership in supporting youth and promoting Oman as a sporting nation, made major headway of its Green Sports initiative with the announcement of 15 new beneficiary sports teams for the programme in 2018.
Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi, president of Oman Football Association, presided at a ceremony hosted by the bank at the head office to felicitate the new Green Sports beneficiaries, in the presence of Abdul Razak Ali Issa, chief executive, management team members and key representatives of the winning sports teams.
Whipping up excitement in a novel gesture, the Green Sports committee made the preliminary announcement of the 15 winners in an interactive radio broadcast on Al Wisal channel. Making significant contributions to sustainable development, the unique Green Sports CSR initiative aimed at promoting Oman as a sporting nation by greening and developing football fields has benefited a total of 93 sports teams across the country to date in the past seven years.
The 2018 Green Sports beneficiaries are Emti Team (Izki), WadiSaifam Team (Bahla), Al Ghanimia Team (Jaalan Bani Bu Hasan), Al Hilal Team (Rustaq), Tawi Mansoor Team (Fanja), Al Nassr Team (Samayil), Al Najd Team (Samayil), Al Saham Team (Izki), Al Zamalik Team (Bidiyah), Al Qadisiyah Team (Shinas), Abu Abali Team (Musannah), Al Ahli team (Rustaq), Al Madriyat Team (Wadi Al Maawil), Al Qarha Team (Barka), Shabab Al Wafi (Al KamilW’alWafi).
Al Wahaibi congratulated Bank Muscat for the success achieved by the Green Sports initiative. Al Wahaibi said, “The initiative benefiting communities, especially youth, contributes to sustainable development, thereby ensuring all-round progress in Oman. The availability of modern sporting infrastructure across the Sultanate is a boon for the game of football. The gesture by Bank Muscat is a motivation for corporates to join hands with the government to promote Oman as a sporting nation.”
The 2018 Green Sports programme evoked a big response as 81 sports teams applied seeking support for greening and infrastructure development of football fields. The selection of beneficiaries followed extensive field visits by the committee which reviewed and short-listed eligible sports teams meeting the criteria for greening and infrastructure development of football fields across the Sultanate.
AbdulRazak Ali Issa, the chief executive, said: “Bank Muscat is proud to see the Green Sports initiative making a significant impact on sustainable development across the Sultanate. During the past seven years, the programme has swept across the entire nation, reinforcing the bank’s leadership role in social responsibility and facilitating a partnership between the government and the private sector for sustainable development and progress of Oman. We wish all the beneficiary teams success in contributing to sporting excellence in Oman.”
The scope of Green Sports support for sports teams includes greening of football fields with natural or synthetic turf, floodlights or water desalination equipment in areas facing problems of water salinity. Ensuring wider representation, the Green Sports support is extended to develop sustainable sports infrastructure in all parts of the Sultanate.
Abdullah Tamman Al Mashani, DGM – Institutional Sales and Product Development, in the welcome address, noted that the consistent progress of the Green Sports initiative reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to the programme aimed at providing support for young Omanis to develop their sporting talents in an ideal environment. Bank Muscat is committed to supporting all deserving sports teams to green their fields and the programme is expected to go a long way in developing the sporting skills and talents of Omani youth, thereby promoting the game of football in Oman, he added.
The criteria for availing the Green Sports support include that sports teams should have been in existence for three years with a minimum of 300 members from the local community. The bank recognises that local teams wield immense influence on neighbourhood communities, especially youth, hence teams with modern infrastructure facilities can help raise sporting heroes for the country.
The Green Sports initiative has created an ideal platform for social engagement among youth. The football fields developed as part of the Green Sports initiative serve as a meeting place for children and youth to engage in social activities leading to the development of strong community bonding. The fields are used for hosting various activities such as Ramadan nights, group weddings and other community celebrations.
Bank Muscat is proud to have led the way in contributing to sustainable development in Oman with various initiatives. As the nation’s leading financial institution, Bank Muscat aims to provide the momentum for youth to excel in all arenas and thereby contribute to the development and progress of Oman.
