Blog written by Jared Martin, BOS Events and Programming Assistant
On Friday 13th March, British Omani Society staff members, Katie Wassell and I set off bright and early from London Euston for a trip up north to Liverpool and Manchester. Our aims were simple: to connect with new audiences outside London, strengthen our collaboration with Omani students, and take part in their Ramadan celebrations.
After an uneventful train ride, we arrived in Liverpool to meet Reem Al Farsi, President of the Liverpool Omani Students Society and a foundation-year Biomedical Sciences student. Our conversation was productive and wide-ranging, covering how The British Omani Society can better engage with the thousands of Omani students studying across the UK and how we can work together on meaningful initiatives. We discussed membership, events, communication channels, and potential partnerships. We also gained a clearer picture of the transition from Oman to the UK and the daily challenges Omani students navigate as they settle into British life.
Following a quick lunch, we continued on to Manchester to meet Reenad Al Shuaily, a final-year Management student and one of the Directors of the Bawsala Fellowship Programme. We are working with Bawsala to deliver a mentorship scheme for Omani students in the UK, so it was helpful to hear her reflections on our collaboration and the programme’s future direction. She shared thoughtful insights on how The British Omani Society can better support students and foster connections between Omani and British peers. We left with plenty to consider and appreciated her hospitality throughout the afternoon.
After a short break, we made our way to the University of Manchester, where we were honoured to attend the Omani Student Society in Manchester’s Ramadan Iftar. Around 200 Omani students from Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Sheffield gathered for the event. Over a delicious meal, we had the chance to meet many attendees, learn about their projects and ambitions, and introduce them to the work of the Society. I also had the opportunity to use my university Arabic for a brief speech that conveyed the Society’s Ramadan greetings and encouraged future collaboration.
Later in the evening, we joined the students for several games and for the final round of the Seen Jeem quiz competition. Seen Jeem is a popular Gulf trivia game, and the final created plenty of excitement as two teams competed closely over several rounds. After the quiz, there were more informal conversations and photographs. We are deeply grateful to Alawi Al Ibrahim and the entire Manchester committee for the warm welcome and generous hospitality shown throughout the evening.
By the end of the night, we were tired but energised by the experience. The trip provided a wealth of insights, ideas, and suggestions to bring back to London, and we look forward to incorporating these into our programming, communications, and membership offering in the months ahead. Most importantly, the visit allowed us to build and strengthen relationships with Omani students and to make The British Omani Society more visible beyond its London base.