World Heritage Volunteers forum in Bahla promotes craft conservation and cultural exchange

An 11-day forum in Bahla is bringing together 30 young volunteers from Oman, Iran, Egypt, Russia, India, Italy and Spain to work on traditional crafts and heritage conservation.

The event, which began on Sept. 3 as part of the World Heritage Volunteers 2026 Initiative, is titled “Working for the Future.” It focuses on crafts associated with the local community, including pottery, woodwork and artistic metalwork. These practices carry knowledge and skills passed down through generations.

The Bahla Volunteers Team is organizing the forum in cooperation with Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, the Ministry of Education through the Oman National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and the SMEs Development Authority, known as Riyada.

Organizers say the programme seeks to raise awareness of the need to conserve world heritage, empower young people and local communities to protect heritage sites, strengthen heritage-related skills, and create a platform for sharing knowledge and best practices in preservation and management. Its cultural and volunteer activities combine the protection of traditional crafts with youth participation and international exchange.