MUSCAT  –  Nearly half a million visitors have visited Sohar Festival which was organised by the Office of the Governor of North Al Batinah in partnership with several government and private institutions in North Al Batinah Governorate. The fourth edition of the Sohar Festival, organised by the Office of the Governor of North Al Batinah in partnership with several government and private institutions in the governorate, has come to a close. The festival’s closing ceremony featured the operetta “Land of Peace,” under the patronage of His Excellency Engineer Bader bin Salem Al Maamari, Chairman of the Projects, Tenders, and Local Content Authority. His Excellency Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al Kindi, Governor of North Al Batinah, explained that the festival achieved its objectives with its diverse activities, which included culture, arts, history, sports, entertainment, and more. The festival featured over 127 events, reflecting its popularity, with nearly half a million visitors attending. He said that the festival also provided 500 job opportunities for residents of North Al Batinah Governorate, in addition to 170 commercial platforms for small and medium enterprises and 170 platforms for products made by productive families. This underscores that the Sohar Festival is not merely a series of entertainment events, but rather one of the most important national events, featuring high-quality programs that reflect Omani heritage and showcase the governorate’s cultural, tourism, and economic assets. The closing ceremony included the performance of six diverse songs by singers from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, as well as the operetta “Land of Peace,” which depicted the festival’s national, cultural, historical, tourism, and economic themes.

 The winners of the international photography competition were also announced.