SQCC’s First Outreach Table Event

On Tuesday, June 21, the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center (SQCC) hosted a day of outreach to promote the missions of both SQCC and the Embassy of Oman. Posted at two tables outdoors on both sides of the facility, staff and interns shared with passing pedestrians the goals of SQCC as well as the culture of Oman. SQCC gave out free packets of Omani frankincense, coffee, dates, halwa, chocolate, Chips Oman, and brochures detailing the many programs and resources the cultural center has to offer. Over the course of three and a half hours, representatives of SQCC spoke to over one hundred people who were interested in learning about the Sultanate of Oman and trying Omani delicacies. Over thirty of those individuals proceeded to come inside the center for a tour to learn more about the history, culture, and lifestyle of Oman. Visitors were also able to see and read books from the SQCC Library, and learn about the resources the library has to offer. Many of those who ended up coming into the building for a visit, checked out the library itself with the guidance of SQCC’s librarian. Many people expressed their excitement to learn about Oman and visit a center they had often walked past, but were unaware about what it has to offer.

People passing by were attracted by the smell of burning Frankincense around the building. As they approached, they became more interested to learn about the Omani traditional dress that an SQCC intern was wearing. Visitors were pleasantly surprised with the distinct aromatic flavor of the Omani coffee they tasted. Over a cup of coffee, they were also amazed to learn about the fully-funded Arabic courses and events that SQCC hosts. During the day, the facilitators had the opportunity to hear from some visitors who had previously visited Oman. They shared their personal experiences and especially noted Oman’s beauty as well as their hopes to visit again in the future. This day of outreach accomplished an aspect of the very goal that SQCC holds- to “share Omani culture with the American people,” and to “promote mutual respect and understanding.”

It is worth noting that the outreach table has proven to be incredibly effective in attracting people’s attention to Oman and the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center. Many visitors were able to learn something new about Oman or discover the SQCC as a resource available to the public. We at SQCC hope to host more outreach events in the future to reach a wider audience and offer our resources to more people in order to educate them about Oman. In the future, we plan to table at other locations, such as street fairs and universities, and advertise promotional events via social media so that a wider audience can access us.