SQCC Hosted Students From Lorien Woods School
2019-10-11 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
SQCC Hosted Students From Lorien Woods School

On Friday 11 October, the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center hosted students from Lorien Woods Elementary School in Virginia. Students split into two groups for a tour of SQCC’s exhibition space and a majmar painting activity. During the tour, students explored the cultural exhibition and its interactive displays of Oman’s cultural heritage. Students learned about Omani history and the Sultanate’s millenia-long trading practices across the Indian Ocean. The tour ended with discussions of Omani handicrafts and attire.

In the majmar painting workshop students learned about Omani frankincense while painting a traditional Omani majmar, or frankincense burner. SQCC provided paint, brushes, patterns, and majmar replicas for students to paint traditional designs or entirely new patterns.

SQCC Hosted Majmar Painting Workshop at UHCL Arts School
2019-10-21 08:00 - 17:00
SQCC Hosted Majmar Painting Workshop at UHCL Arts School
On Monday 21 October, SQCC visited University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Art School in Clear Lake, Texas. A group of homeschool students learned about frankincense and its role in Omani history and culture. After learning about frankincense, students got to experience Omani culture firsthand by painting replicas of majmars (frankincense burners) and took them home as souvenirs from SQCC’s visit.

SQCC's 2019 Annual Conference – University of Houston – Clear Lake
2019-10-22 08:00 - 17:00
SQCC’s 2019 Annual Conference – University of Houston – Clear Lake
The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center held its 10th annual conference at the University of Houston – Clear Lake on 23 October 2019. This year’s conference, “Energy and Environmental Stewardship: Oman and the U.S.” included discussions of oil in Oman and the U.S., environmental and climate change effects on coastal regions, disaster management, and science diplomacy. HE Salim Al Aufi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Oil and Gas, Sultanate of Oman, delivered the conference keynote address the previous evening.
The conference’s first panel, “Oil in Oman and the U.S.: Overlapping Histories and Concerns” focused on the evolution of the energy sector in both Oman and the U.S. and how efforts towards sustainability have affected future development.
The second panel, “Environmental and Climate Change in Coastal Regions and Cities” discussed changing climate conditions and how the risk of flooding is being addressed in Oman and in Texas.
The lunch keynote “Science Diplomacy: My Journey and My Perspectives” was delivered by Dr. Kamlesh Lulla, Director for University Research Collaboration and Partnership Office at Johnson Space Center, NASA. During the lunch break, conference guests also explored a poster presentation on Oman prepared by UHCL students.
The third panel, “Disaster Management: Preparedness, Response and Humanitarian Aid” highlighted the role of proactive disaster management and the multifaceted approaches needed to address disaster events in both Oman and Texas.
The fourth and final panel of the conference, “Science Diplomacy” explored the role of science in fostering international cooperation.

SQCC Hosts “The Art of Arabic Calligraphy”
2019-10-24 08:00 - 17:00
In collaboration with the Reed Society for Sacred Arts, SQCC hosted a public dialogue between master calligrapher Nuria Garcia Masip and her former student, and now master, “Khalid” Pablo Casado. The two artists came to SQCC and spoke to an enthralled audience about their respective and shared journeys into the world of Arabic calligraphy and to becoming master calligraphers.

SQCC Hosts Poetry & Prose Series with Dr. Levi Thompson
2019-10-29 08:00 - 17:00
On Tuesday, 29 October, Dr. Levi Thompson delivered the third lecture in the Arabic Poetry & Prose Series at SQCC. Dr. Thompson, assistant professor of Arabic at the University of Colorado Boulder, presented on the poem “Rain Song” (أنشودة المطر) by Iraqi poet Badr Shakir al-Sayyab. His lecture featured a biography of the poet, discussion of the technical aspects of the poem, and a recitation of the poem in Arabic. After the talk, the audience participated in a Q&A session with Dr. Thompson.
Video of the lecture can be found here.

SQCC Hosts Film Night - Sons of Sinbad
2019-11-05 08:00 - 17:00
On Tuesday, 5 November, SQCC welcomed guests to its film night featuring, ‘Sons of Sinbad – A History of Oman’. A full room of guests snacked on popcorn while enjoying this 3-part documentary series, which tells the tale of Oman’s seafaring legacy. The films navigate the maritime silk road and traverse the Indian Ocean. Aided by the monsoon winds, Omani dhows ferried precious cargo and goods across the 3,000 miles of the Indian Ocean, annually. The dependable frequency of this trade built lasting bridges of cultural and economic exchange that still exist today. ‘Sons of Sinbad’ plunges into the depths of this history and brings the stories and legends of the Sultanate’s past to life. Photos from the event can be found here.

SQCC Hosts Non-Native Arabic Debate Competition
2019-11-09 08:00 - 17:00
On 9 November, SQCC hosted the Non-Native Arabic Debate Competition in front of a live audience comprised of SQCC students, family, and friends. SQCC’s Arabic Debate Society concluded their first season in this final show-down between teams of non-native speakers in front of a public audience. Across its three rounds, contestants put their Arabic verbal and rhetorical skills to the test with cash prizes, championship trophies, and bragging rights to the victors. Following the event, a reception was held for participants and guests. The next round of SQCC’s Arabic Debate Society will begin Spring 2020. If interested in joining the Arabic Debate Society, please contact arabic@sqcc.org for more information.

SQCC Hosts Poetry & Prose Series with Dr. Emily Drumsta
2019-11-13 08:00 - 17:00
On Wednesday, 13 November, SQCC hosted the final Poetry & Prose Series lecture of 2019. The guest of honor was Dr. Emily Drumsta, Brown University, who delivered a lecture on Iraqi poet Nazik al-Malaʾikah. Many Arabic speakers, SQCC students and teachers, and friends of SQCC attended the session. A biography of the poet was presented followed by a discussion of the poem “Revolt Against the Sun” and a Q&A session. Omani coffee and dates were served at the event. A video of the lecture can be found here.

SQCC Travels to New Orleans for Middle East Studies Association Conference
2019-11-15 08:00 - 17:00
From 15-17 November, SQCC exhibited at the Book Bazaar of the Middle Eastern Studies Association (MESA) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. The MESA annual meeting is the largest gathering of academics and researchers focused on the Middle East in the U.S. At MESA, SQCC promoted its new primary source database, An Ocean of Paper, which seeks to stimulate new research in the social history of the Sultanate by collecting, cataloging, and publishing the thousands of deeds (called waraqas) produced by Omanis in South Arabia and East Africa during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Staffers also spoke to conference attendees about the cultural and educational programs that SQCC offers, including SALAM, Sabla, Evening Arabic Classes for Professionals, the Research Fellowship and the SQCC library.

SQCC hosted students from LaSalle-Backus Education Campus as part of Embassy Adoption Program
2019-11-19 08:00 - 17:00
SQCC hosted students from LaSalle-Backus Education Campus as part of EAP Program

The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center hosted a fifth grade class from LaSalle-Backus Education Campus as part of the Embassy Adoption Program (EAP) on Tuesday 19 November. EAP is a special collaboration between Washington Performing Arts and D.C. Public Schools. Students toured SQCC’s permanent exhibition featuring examples of traditional Omani dress, a model of Oman’s irrigation system (known in Arabic as falaj), and a variety of cultural items including traditional silverwork and model dhows. Students received miniature World Traveler/Welcome to Oman passports stamped with the Omani emblem and SQCC logo. Students also received name tags with their names, grade level, and school in Arabic.

After their tour, the group listened to a presentation on Oman’s culture, history, and people. During the presentation, students learned about the collection and utility of frankincense as they passed around traditional Omani frankincense burners called majmars. Most students touched and smelled frankincense for the first time. Students also asked questions about daily life, food, traditions, and culture in Oman.

SQCC travels to Austin, TX for 2019 NCSS Conference
2019-11-23 08:00 - 17:00
SQCC traveled to Austin, Texas for the 2019 National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) conference on November 22-23. The SQCC exhibition booth promoted the Indian Ocean in World History (IOWH) website, which is a well-known resource among American teachers for teaching on Oman and the Indian Ocean region. SQCC staff also promoted the new An Ocean of Paper database and how its materials could be utilized in upper level social studies courses. The booth also promoted other SQCC educational resources available to teachers by request.

SQCC Launches Book Club
2019-12-04 08:00 - 17:00
The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center Library hosted its inaugural session of the SQCC Book Club on 4 December, 2019. The club’s mission is to promote reading and discussion of literature from or about the Sultanate of Oman. The first meeting included a group discussion of selected stories from My Grandmother’s Stories: Folk Tales from Dhofar by Khadija bint Alawi Al-Dhahab and translated into English by W. Scott Chahanovich.

The book features a collection of fifteen folktales passed down orally from generation to generation in Oman. The author, who grew up in Oman’s southern province of Dhofar, transcribed and compiled these stories about princesses, peasants, genies, and talking animals. These traditional folk tales give readers of all ages a unique glimpse into Omani life and customs.

Book club members read aloud excerpts from three folks tales – The Sly Fox, The Magic Ring, and The Prince and the Clever Maiden. Many SQCC Book Club members drew parallels from the morals found in these Dhofari stories to lessons from folktales found in both Eastern and Western traditions. Omani coffee and dates accompanied the discussion. The next session of the SQCC Book Club will be scheduled in March, 2020.

If you are interested or someone you know would like to join the SQCC book club, please email library@sqcc.org with the subject line: “SQCC Book Club”.

Frederick Community College Student Group Visits SQCC
2019-12-04 08:00 - 17:00
On Wednesday, 4 December, SQCC welcomed adult continuing learning students from Frederick Community College. The students, joined by their professor and current SQCC fellow, Mrs. Linda Pappas Funsch, enjoyed a tour of the SQCC permanent exhibition which explored Oman’s fascinating history. After the tour students listened to a cultural lecture about Omani culture and social norms in preparation for the trip to Oman in early 2020. The students concluded their visit to SQCC with a visit to SQCC’s current photography exhibition, “Oman –– A Vision of Modernity.”

2019 8th Annual Winternational Celebration in Washington, D.C.
2019-12-05 08:00 - 17:00
On Thursday, 5 December, SQCC represented Oman at the 8th annual Winternational Celebration at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. SQCC represented the Omani Embassy by showcasing a variety of cultural traditions from the Sultanate to entertain and teach throngs of curious visitors about Oman’s rich history. SQCC’s booth featured majmars, dates, frankincense, kumas, textiles, and a variety of publications about Oman’s history and Omani society. The Oman booth was a unique festival feature in a bustling global marketplace with more than 50 embassies promoting their countries through vibrant and displays of visual art and cultural treasures.

2019 World Arabic Language Day at SQCC
2019-12-10 08:00 - 17:00
Guests gathered at SQCC on Tuesday, 10 December for an early celebration of World Arabic Language Day. This year’s theme was “The Arabic Language Through Music” which featured a public lecture with live demonstrations, musical performances, and a reception. Dr. Rasmussen, Professor of Music and Ethnomusicology at William & Mary, led a discussion about the traditional music and instruments throughout the Arab world and the Arabic language used to describe music. Accompanying Dr. Rasmussen’s presentation of her field research across three continents were two other musicians, Mr. Laith Alattar (‘ud) and Ms. Sanam Analoui (percussion). Together, the trio ensemble shared stories and provided lively demonstrations of Arabic music and presentations of their respective instruments. Afterwards, a reception was held upstairs featuring Middle Eastern fare, more musical performances, singing. 2019 World Arabic Language Day at SQCC was an informative and fun event to conclude the year.

SQCC Visits Sitar Arts Center
2019-12-16 08:00 - 17:00
On Monday 16 December, SQCC visited Sitar Arts Center, a multidisciplinary arts education center for children and youth in Washington D.C. Students learned about Oman’s rich cultural heritage, handcrafts, history, geography, and beautiful scenery. Students were asked to find and mark Oman on a world map. Later on students learned how to write their names in Arabic and asked many questions about Oman.

Embassy Adoption Program, Second Visit
2019-12-17 08:00 - 17:00
On Tuesday 17 December, SQCC visited 5th graders of LaSalle-Backus Education Campus School for the Embassy Adoption Program, a unique education and partnership program of the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and Washington Performing Arts. Students narrated what they learned in their first visit to SQCC on Oman’s culture, people, geographic location, and food. Students were also introduced to the 11 provinces of Oman through writing the names of provinces on a blank map of Oman. Later on, students learned how to write their names and their parents’ names in Arabic as well.

SQCC Revisits LaSalle-Backus Education Campus for 3rd Session of EAP
2019-12-19 08:00 - 17:00
On Thursday 19 December, the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center (SQCC) visited the fifth graders of LaSalle-Backus Education Campus for the third session of the Embassy Adoption Program (EAP). EAP is a partnership program between DC Public Schools and Washington Performing Arts. This time, students learned Omani traditional dance and performed it many time with their classmates for future performance at SQCC. Later on, students learned to sing the Omani National Anthem in Arabic. By the end, students wrote their names again in Arabic to refresh what they have learned in the previous session.

Close-Up Students Visit SQCC
2020-01-22 08:00 - 17:00
On 21 January, a student group from Close Up Washington, a local educational non-profit organization, came to SQCC for a tour of the permanent exhibition space and a lecture about Omani customs, history, and traditions. Students learned about frankincense and the majmar, Omani cuisine and sweets, such as halwa, and many other aspects of Omani culture and society.

2020 EAP - LaSalle Education Campus visits SQCC
2020-01-24 08:00 - 17:00
On Friday, 24 January, LaSalle Education Campus visited SQCC as part of the 2019-2020 Embassy Adoption Program. Students learned about various aspects of Omani culture. They learned about frankincense and the historical importance of the tree to Omani culture. The presentation focused on the historical and contemporary importance its dried resin, planting of the tree today, and the majmar. After seeing Omani examples of this clay charcoal brassier and being shown an instructional video, students painted models of their own in SQCC’s craft room and took them home. We look forward to welcoming back LaSalle to SQCC in the coming weeks.

American University Arabic Department Visits SQCC
2020-02-12 08:00 - 17:00
On Tuesday 12 February, SQCC received students from the Arabic Department at American University in Washington, D.C. Students toured SQCC’s permanent exhibition learning about traditional Omani attire and handicrafts such as pottery, basketry, and silverwork. On the tour, students also learned about the historical importance of the aflaj irrigation system, forts, and maritime trade. After the tour, the group listened to a lecture about Omani culture, people, traditions, and the country’s environment. Finally, students asked many questions regarding Omani customs, ecotourism, and SQCC’s mission and programming in the U.S. and abroad. Students were also encouraged to speak in Arabic and to introduce themselves and the reason why they study Arabic at their university. Students then practiced asking questions about Oman in Arabic.

The Life of Sultan Qaboos bin Said: context, reflections, perspectives.
2020-02-20 18:00 - 20:00 | Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, 1100 16th St. NW., Washington, DC, 20036
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First SQCC Book Club Meeting
2020-02-20 18:30 - 19:30
The inaugural meeting of the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center Book Club will be held in the SQCC Library on Wednesday, 4 December, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Click to find out what we are reading and join us!

Winternational 2019
2020-02-29
SQCC will participate in Winternational on Thursday, December 5, 2019. Come join us at the Ronald Reagan Building of this annual event with D.C.’s diplomatic community.

Close Up Foundation Visits SQCC for Tour and Teacher Workshop
2020-03-10 08:00 - 17:00
On Tuesday 10 March, SQCC received teachers from Close UP Foundation. Teachers from across the country came to SQCC for a tour of the permanent exhibition. They learned about traditional Omani attire and handicrafts such as pottery, basketry, and silver artwork. During the tour, teachers expressed interest in the historical importance of the aflaj irrigation system, forts, and maritime trade.
After the tour, the group participated in a lecture on SQCC’s Indian Ocean in World History (IOWH) website, an educational resource exploring 94,000 years of human history through seven interactive maps and Oman’s role in the Indian Ocean throughout the ages. The website is a free classroom resource that is comprised of signature maps, lesson plans, quizzes, trivia, and additional educational resources. Teachers also learned how to create their own lesson plan from the website.
In addition to learning about IOWH, guests also learned about Oman’s culture, history, geography, and tradition. Visitors to SQCC’s booth received promotional materials for SQCC programs and bags of frankincense.

World Arabic Language Day - "The Arabic Language Through Music"
2020-03-21 18:00 - 20:00
Come celebrate World Arabic Language Day at SQCC on 10 December from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This year’s theme is “The Arabic Language Through Music” featuring a public lecture, live music, and a reception.

SQCC Resumes 2020-2021 Embassy Adoption Program (EAP) with Seaton Elementary
2020-10-28 | Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, 1100 16th St. NW., Washington, DC, 20036
The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center virtually hosted a fifth grade class from Seaton Elementary School as part of the Embassy Adoption Program (EAP) on Wednesday, October, 28th. EAP is a special collaboration between Washington Performing Arts and D.C. Public Schools. Students interacted with SQCC staff online through a PowerPoint presentation introducing Oman, its culture, geography, climate, traditional dress, and customs. Students were excited to engage with staff, asked many questions, and were very interested to learn about the people of Oman.
For most students, this was their first first time learning about Oman as a country, about the wild animals in Oman, especially the Arabian Oryx, and about Omani frankincense. By the end of the presentation, students asked additional questions about animals in Oman, religious traditions, customs surrounding hospitality, and the geography in Oman.

Embassy Adoption Program 2020 - 2021 Second Session
2020-11-18 08:00 - 17:00
The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center hosted a fifth grade class from Seaton Elementary School virtually as part of the Embassy Adoption Program (EAP) on Wednesday, November 18th. Taking place on Omani National Day, this was the second installment of the virtual program for the semester. EAP is a special collaboration between Washington Performing Arts and D.C. Public Schools. Students toured the center virtually and were lectured and shown different parts of our exhibit, such as castles, Omani traditional dress, Omani pottery, models of Omani ships (including the ship Sultana), handcrafts, silver and khanjar. Students also virtually toured the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center Library.
During the meeting, the group of students asked questions about Omani naval history, traditional dress, and Omani National Day. Students also asked questions about the friendship between the U.S. and Oman, as well as Bedouin lifestyle and folk tales in Oman.

Sigrid van Roode on Silver & Frankincense
2020-12-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Join us on Zoom as we welcome Sigrid van Roode to discuss her new book Silver & Frankincense!
When: Wednesday, 2 December from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where: Online!
Email info@sqcc.org for a Zoom meeting link.

Silver & Frankincense: Personal Adornment and Scent in the Arab World
2020-12-02 12:00 - 13:00
Sigrid van Roode, a jewelry historian specializing in traditional jewelry from the Middle East and North Africa, gave an online presentation on 2 December, discussing her new book, Silver & Frankincense: Personal Adornment and Scent in the Arab World. Her research addresses jewelry as material culture of society and focuses in particular on the relation between jewelry and ritual, magic and religion.
Ms. van Roode discussed the significance of scent in Oman and the Arab world, and the multiple utilities and combinations of Oud, frankincense, rose, jasmine and others. The centrality of good scents in daily life, she argued, is that they drive out evil spirits, while bad scents can indicate the presence of evil or decay. Her discussion also addressed how scents are used in milestone occasions including marriage, childbirth, death, as well as in daily life. Van Roode gave examples from her personal collection of silver amulets and jewelry to explain how pieces were constructed to incorporate space to carry scents.
Ms. van Roode is the author of several books, including Desert Silver, widely acclaimed as one of the most accessible introductions to jewelry from the Arab world.
The book can be purchased here:
https://en.blikvelduitgevers.nl/product-page/pre-order-silver-frankincense-scent-and-personal-adornment-in-the-arab-world
