The World Heritage Volunteers Forum in Bahla is bringing together Omani and international youth to preserve traditional crafts, strengthen heritage awareness and encourage cultural exchange.
The programme focuses on pottery, woodworking and metalwork, combining hands-on experiences with lectures, field visits and community engagement. Around 30 young volunteers from Oman and six other countries are participating in the 10-day programme, which runs until September 13.
Participants are also exploring Bahla Fort and its surrounding cultural landscape, while learning directly from local craftsmen. The initiative highlights the importance of passing traditional knowledge and skills to younger generations as some crafts face declining numbers of practitioners.
The forum is expected to create a digital heritage database, community exhibition, documentary and digital heritage stories, alongside a โBahla Heritage Ambassadorsโ network to sustain youth involvement in heritage preservation.
