Washington, D.C., 29 November 2013
The Sultanate of Oman has donated $1.8 million to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, the largest donation received by the museum to date.
The donation is to support an series of events at the museum celebrating Omani and East African culture, entitled ”Connecting the Gems of the Indian Ocean: From Oman to East Africa”. The programme is to showcase Omani arts and the country’s connection with the cultures of the Middle East and East Africa.
Hunaina Sultan Ahmed Al-Mughairy, Omani ambassador to the U.S., stated: “This is a monumental partnership that we are very proud of. We’re looking forward to working with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art to bring a greater global awareness of the connections and history between Oman and East Africa.”
The events are to include an educational arts exchange programme; a lecture series from Omani artists and scholars; public workshops; and newly-commissioned dance and music performances.