Monday 16 / June / 2025
Manah: The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, in collaboration with UNESCO's Chair for World Heritage Management and Sustainable Tourism in the Arab Region and Marasim Tourism & Investment Company, on Monday unveiled the visual identity of Bahla Fort. This initiative aims to highlight the fort's historical, cultural, and architectural significance through a unified design.
The event took place at Oman Across Ages Museum.
Eng. Ali Ahmed Al Shaqsi, Director General of Bahla Fort Management and Operation Project, stated: "This fort has stood through the ages as a testament to Omani ingenuity and a symbol of our deep-rooted civilization, whose eternal glories continue to be recounted across generations." He emphasized that the launch of Bahla Fort's official identity marks a renewed vision that harmonizes form and substance.
On his turn, Dr. Hussein Sulaiman Al Salmi, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Financial Affairs at the German University of Technology, noted that the visual identity competition attracted 31 participants from nine countries – the first such initiative for a UNESCO World Heritage site in the GCC. He highlighted Bahla Fort's 1987 UNESCO listing, recognizing its significance as a medieval defensive structure featuring unique earthen architecture and ancient irrigation systems.
The ceremony, held under the patronage of Eng. Ibrahim Said Al Kharousi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage, featured a visual presentation on Bahla Fort, its historical mosque, and surrounding facilities.
The visual identity represents a strategic step toward unifying all visual communications related to the fort's projects and activities, enhancing its position on Oman's cultural tourism map while raising public awareness of its civilizational value.
