Today I visited two great resources in DC. The first is the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center (SQCC). The center is “dedicated to educating the
peoples of the United States and Oman about the breadth and richness of our two
cultures. SQCC promotes mutual respect
and understanding between our nations and strives to educate a new generation
of culturally sensitive and knowledgeable citizens in each society. Through outreach programs, scholarships,
lectures, educational resources, cultural partnerships, and our Cultural Center
in Washington, DC, SQCC brings the culture, history, and heritage of our nations
to audiences in the US and abroad.”
They have exhibits on Omani culture and heritage in
the center, and work with various museums, universities, and schools around the
country to fund additional exhibits, performances, and education exchange programs.
From there, I went to the Middle East Institute,
specifically their library, which is
handsomely funded by the government of Oman and full of great resources. I wish I had known about this months ago, but
it’s never too late! I got a year long
membership for a mere $50, which includes the ability to check out up to 10
books at a time, as well as quarterly copies of their journal and access to
exhibits.
One of the books I checked out, Imams and Seyyids
of `Oman by Salil Ibn Razik, is only registered to four other libraries,
all of which are in Germany. Pretty cool!
Lastly, since I’m on the topic of Arabic/Omani
resources in the DC area, I started going to some events put on by Al-Hewar Center for Arab Culture and
Dialogue. They host lectures almost
every Wednesday, usually in Arabic, discussing current events and topics
relevant to the lives of Arab Americans.
It’s a good opportunity to hear an issue from a different point of view,
and also to meet Arabs in the area.
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