The British Omani Society, as part of its annual lecture series celebrating Oman’s extraordinary natural heritage, organised a programme of visits to foster UK-Oman scientific collaboration, and highlight the work of Oman’s talented environmental scientists.
On Thursday 29th October, the British Omani Society hosted our esteemed delegates, Dr Laila Al Harthy, Head of Botany and Conservation at Oman Botanic Garden; Dr Khalid Al Farsi, Head of Horticulture at Oman Botanic Garden; Dr Amir Azad Al Kathiri, linguist and cultural heritage specialist from Salalah, with a visit to one of the UK’s most iconic institutions, the Natural History Museum in London.
Hosted by Jonathan Jackson, Head of Science Policy and Communication at the Natural History Museum, the Omani delegation was welcomed for a curated tour of the museum’s collections and research spaces. The delegation met with Dr Jovita Yesilyurt who kindly gave them an introduction to and tour of the Museum's expansive plant collections, and Dr Joseph Monks who covered the insect collections - including specimens collected during his visit to Oman.
The visit offered a unique opportunity to explore the museum’s role in global scientific inquiry, biodiversity conservation, and public engagement and sparked new ideas for research collaboration.
The British Omani Society extends its sincere thanks to Nigel Winser, founder of the Oman Natural Heritage series, Jonathan Jackson, and the Natural History Museum team for their longstanding and generous hospitality, and for helping to bring the week’s programme to a meaningful close.
We also thank Amouage, our main sponsor, and Tom Kenyon-Slaney of London Speakers Bureau, for contributing the financial support that made this important programme of knowledge exchange visits possible.
Read more about the Oman Natural Heritage Programme
Oman Natural Heritage Visits: Scientific Exchange in Cambridge
Oman Natural Heritage Visits: Exploring British Expertise in Forestry and Horticulture
The 8th Oman Natural Heritage Lecture: The Scent of Time - Omani Frankincense from Antiquity to Innovation