'Oman and Italy: Two Millennia of Cross-Civilisational Dialogue' Exhibition opens in Milan

Milan, Italy – The National Museum has inaugurated a significant exhibition, "Oman and Italy: Two Millennia of Cross-Civilisational Dialogue," at the prestigious Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. This event marks the beginning of Oman Day programming in Italy and explores the profound historical connections that have linked the two nations for nearly 2,000 years.

The exhibition delves into the vibrant networks of trade, knowledge exchange, and cultural interaction that have shaped a shared civilisational legacy across the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. It draws upon a rich array of sources, including archaeological findings, historical travel literature, cartographic records, and various art forms to illustrate this enduring dialogue.

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The National Museum is honoured to present this exhibition within the confines of the momentous Braidense National Library, the first such museum initiative by the Sultanate of Oman in the Italian Republic. Throughout the past centuries, the noblest of Italian minds have played a key role in the revelation of the primary characters of Oman, its archaeology, architectural heritage, customs and traditions, geography, geology, fauna and flora, and its government. Some notable Italians have left their particular mark on our history too.

Organized under the National Museum's "Oman Day" initiative, the exhibition aims to showcase Oman's rich civilisational, historical, cultural, and scientific heritage to global audiences. The opening ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials from Oman and Italy, including HH Sayyid Nizar bin Al Julanda Al Said, the Sultanate of Oman's Ambassador to Italy, and Jamal bin Hassan Al Moosawi, Secretary General of the National Museum.

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This exhibition focuses on the archeological legacy, publications of anthologies of travelogues, accounts which give an overview of documents and books, cartography, and the arts. Likewise, common threads that attest to the bonds of our cultures are explored and highlighted, including the Aflaj water management system, known in Sicily by its Arabic nameQanat, the ritualistic significance of theal Luban(frankincense) in the mosque and the church liturgy respectively. Another point of contact of the Imperial epochs of Oman and Italy was the lands of the African continent.

Al Moosawi emphasized the honor of presenting this exhibition in Milan, noting the historical role of Italian intellectuals in documenting Oman's archaeology, heritage, and geography. He highlighted the exhibition's focus on archaeological discoveries, travelogues, cartography, and arts, as well as common cultural threads like the Aflaj water management system (known as Qanat in Sicily) and the ritualistic use of frankincense.

HH Sayyid Nizar expressed his pleasure at hosting the exhibition in Milan, stating that it presents a curated selection of artifacts from Oman's National Museum. He added that the exhibition brilliantly illuminates the cultural and historical richness of both civilizations, underscoring the deep-rooted relationships and civilizational exchange that have spanned two millennia.

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It is a source of immense pleasure that the Omani exhibition, titled “Oman and Italy: Two Millennia of Cross-Civilisational Dialogue”, is being hosted the Grande Brera in the City of Milan, Italian Republic. This exhibition showcases a curated selection of collections from the National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman, which chronicle the deep-rooted relationships and civilizational exchange spanning two thousand years between Oman and Italy. It brilliantly highlights the cultural and historical richness of both civilisations as manifested in archaeology, travel literature, cartography and the arts.