The British Omani Society hosted its Annual Lunch on Friday, October 4th 2024, at the Royal Air Force Club, London, with over one hundred members and guests in attendance. The event was a wonderful success - an occasion filled with warmth, camaraderie, and friendship.
Our guests of honour at this year’s Annual Lunch were Owen Jenkins CMG, Director General for Indo-Pacific, Middle East and North Africa at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and H.E. Dr. Ali Al Lawati, President of the Royal Academy of Management (RAM).
BOS Chairman Richard Stanford started off the Lunch by saying how inspired he was to see the range of ages in attendance, which is a good indication that the UK-Oman relationship remains strong and will continue to flourish in the future.
After being welcomed by BOS Chairman Richard Stanford, both guests of honour gave speeches at the Lunch commending the Society for its important role in nurturing the UK-Oman relationship and strengthening the bond between the two countries.
H.E. Dr. Al Lawati emphasised during his speech the importance of executive learning and the development of national leadership in nurturing the next generation of UK-Oman leadership, as they are a key aspect of Oman Vision 2040. He also spoke about the Royal Academy of Management and the important initiatives that aim to shape the future leaders of both countries, as well as underscoring that a third of international partners at the RAM come from the UK.
Owen Jenkins CMG commended the British Omani Society during his speech and thanked the Chairman, Trustees, and staff for their dedication. He remarked that it had been five years since the UK-Oman Comprehensive Agreement of Enduring Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation was ratified, indicating that the friendship continues to stay strong today and will continue to be strong in the future. He also commented on the ongoing tensions in the middle east, saying that reaching an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza is an “absolute priority.”
He commented: “As friends, we continue to cooperate in defence of the values we share and that we all hold so dear. That will absolutely continue – and the British Omani Society will continue to be part of that.”
We also had the privilege of welcoming HE Badr Mohammed Badr Al Mantheri, Oman’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, as well as members of our Society and diplomats from the Embassy of Oman.
We would like to thank our wonderful members and guests for making it such an enjoyable afternoon. We look forward to welcoming you all again next year.
The event was covered by Oman TV:
Enjoy the wonderful photos taken at the Lunch below by photographer Liga Kalnina:
