The Wilayat of Al Musannah took part in the competition for wilayats at the Salalah Tourism Festival.

People of the wilayat presented art performances and took part in traditional games. The programmes showcased the wilayat’s rich heritage, handicraft, traditional songs, customs and traditional industries.

Twelve wilayats are taking part in the dance competition for wilayats to present the unique dances of each wilayat.

In the marine ecology section, crafts persons showcase their skills while at the same time singing seafarers’ ballads, recalling the Sultanate’s centuries-old maritime history.

In the section for rural environment, visitors are introduced to the exotic Bedouin and desert life. It includes live display of making handicrafts, leather items by the rural folk. Visitors can see how Bedouins make houses from camel fur and other products from indigenous materials.

The woman and child village showcases social activities. Items made of wood and other materials are showcased in this section, along with a Child Theatre for families.

The festival attracted Arab singers allowing hundreds of fans to interact with their favourite stars. Omani, Gulf and Arab singers will hold the final concert on Thursday.

It will feature Khalid Abdul Rahman from Saudi Arabia, Karman Suleiman from Egypt and Dina Batmah from Morocco. Another show featured Omani singers Ayman Al Nasser, Ali Gaboob, Hussain Al Hajeem and Hamad Al Duree.

The US Embassy’s exhibition has opened at the Municipality Recreational Centre at the Salalah Tourism Festival, under the patronage of HE Sheikh Salim Bin Aufait Al Shanfari, Head of Dhofar Municipality and Head of the Festival Organising Committee.

The five-day expo includes educational and cultural programmes presented by the US Embassy for Omanis, besides books and publications in Arabic and English, which are distributed to visitors.

The US Embassy’s activities at the festival suit all age groups. The expo has a special pavilion for children to mark the Year of the Omani Child being celebrated by the Sultanate this year.

The participation of the US Embassy is part of the annual educational programmes organised by it across the Sultanate.

The National Records and Archives Authority (NRAA) will on Monday open a Documentary Exhibition themed ‘The Document: History of Homeland and Culture of a Nation’, under the patronage of HE Sayyid Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Busaidi, Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar, as part of the Salalah Tourism Festival.

The 2011 expo themed ‘National Memory in the Frankincense Land’ had witnessed good turnout.

The expo, to be held at Oman Hall in the Municipality Recreational Centre from July 9 to 16, will highlight the civilisational and historic role of the Sultanate.