Oman - Donating just one click away

MUSCAT — In the spirit of giving and charity during the holy month of Ramadan and the upcoming occasion of Eid, Information Technology Authority (ITA) is raising awareness about the donations portal. This portal provides opportunity for citizens and residents to make online donations to a charity of their choice. The participating organisations include: Al Noor Association for the Blind, National Association for Cancer Awareness, Association for Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs, The Association of the Welfare of the Handicapped, and Oman Association for the Disabled. Comfortable Donation during the month of Ramadan, a month already characterised with giving and humanitarian aid, makes the portal even more pertinent allowing residents to donate from the comfort of their own homes. Designed for simplicity, making a donation is as easy as making a payment using a credit card, authorised by any Omani bank. The portal makes it easy to donate with a single click from anywhere and at anytime. And yes, contributions made via the website do directly benefit the selected charity. As it is Ramadan and in anticipation of the celebration of Eid Al Fitr, ITA invites all citizens and residents in the Sultanate of Oman to donate to these aid organisations using the donations portal. ITA, an independent national body responsible for promoting Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the Sultanate in the form of the e.oman initiative, has transformed the way charitable contributions are made to improve the lives of underprivileged individuals and communities during the holy month of Ramadan through its online donations portal to charitable organisations. Bilingual portal The portal was officially launched in January 2009 in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development and the five chief humanitarian and charitable organisations in the Sultanate to facilitate electronic donation processes. The bilingual online portal, www.onlinedonations.org.om, designed for transparency, convenience, simplicity and user-friendliness as its guiding principles, allows citizens and residents of the Sultanate to make direct donations using their bank credit cards to the respective bank accounts of the charitable organisations. Security was also given high priority, as all transactions are carried out accurately and safely within seconds through the closely monitored portal to protect people’s interests. On the occasion, Dr Salim Al Ruzaiqi, chief executive officer at ITA, expressed: “With the development of the donations portal we have designed one of the most innovative websites in the country. Through our partnership with the Ministry of Social Development, we provide the public a simple, convenient and secure platform for making contributions and a number of other online financial transactions through the latest ePayment technology.” Single access point “The donations portal represents a single access point for donating, as we aim at providing superior public services. This is only the beginning of the diverse initiatives we have in store for the public following the launch of the new e.oman identity, as it will guide us in all future endeavours to truly create a knowledge-based society. Through e.oman, we plan to cover a very wide spectrum of socio-economic services in light of the new e-lifestyle,” he added. Muhanna Moosa Baqer, manager of ePayments, commented: “Although accessible all year round, we are very enthusiastic about spreading awareness of the portal’s availability during Ramadan and promoting charity for valuable social causes in the Sultanate. We are confident that ITA’s partnership with the Ministry of Social Development will enable us to reach a wider audience and cover vast territories with the advent of the Internet and new technology.” “We encourage the citizens and residents to get online and begin using this portal. We hope that this portal will help overcome the challenges encountered when using conventional methods and modes of making charitable contributions,” he added. In addition, the portal allows potential contributors to gain an understanding of the various projects, objectives and functions of the organisations, allowing greater access to a multitude of social and economic welfare causes, including financial and educational assistance, health awareness training and preventative programmes. We invite other charity organisations registered with the Ministry of Social Development to join the donations portal. The donations portal for charitable organisations is one of the various initiatives carried out by ITA in its quest to create a truly digital society providing an electronic gateway through the latest ePayment technology. It is important to note that this portal recently won a prestigious Arab e-Content Award at the Second Bahrain International e-Government Forum in the e-Inclusion and Participation category. Another current project includes the ground breaking ePurse project, the result of a tri-lateral national collaboration between the Royal Oman Police, BankMuscat and ITA. This new ePayment system enables citizens and residents to make various government-related payments through their national ID and resident cards. Later in the year, ITA will also introduce the eGovernment Services Portal in addition to the electronic Tendering initiative.

Oman - Nawras journey strikes a chord

MUSCAT ─ The fifth goodwill journey initiated by telecom company Nawras ended on a successful note yesterday. The nine Nawras branded vehicles reached Muscat after passing through most of the Sultanate’s regions and governorates, traversing more than 4,200 kilometres since the journey began on August 30. A grand reception party took place yesterday at the Nawras headquarters in Al Athaiba, under the patronage of Ibrahim bin Yahya Al Rawahi, wali of Baushar. Ross Cormack, CEO of Nawras was also present with a large number of invitees and guests. Rapturous applause greeted the Nawras team on their arrival. Members of the team were honoured and a four-minute documentary film on the journey was screened. Throughout its journey, the Nawras team aimed at fulfilling its commitment to Omani society. In addition to the humanitarian side, the team had the rare opportunity of exploring different wilayats of the Sultanate. “Nawras staff came up with the whole idea of the goodwill journey. It was not the company’s decision. Credit also goes to people who have been working behind the scenes. We appreciate all the efforts that were made,” Cormack said. Talking about his participation in the goodwill journey with Nawras, Cormack said: “I try to attend at least three events in each journey. Through the journey, we get a precious opportunity to see the Omani society and its people from the real walk of life. Honestly, wherever you go in the Sultanate, you will be received with an incredible gathering. As a guest in this country, I cannot express how delighted I am. In fact, I am thrilled how the people of Oman have placed their trust in us.” New elements Cormack is expecting the next journey to be another milestone with different facets. “We will try and add new elements to each journey in the following years, I would like to thank all the people who welcomed the team. I am proud of our team and the media, who gave the event extensive coverage.” Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, chief operating officer at Nawras, said: “Since Nawras launched its services, it has been committed to a set of values taken from the Omani society and probably being one big family is the real value”. “I would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to the team for the message they tried to convey and the dedication with which they went about their job,” Al Mahmoud added. Peter Rubeck, chief technical officer (CTO), also shared his satisfaction at being part of the Nawras family. “The goodwill journey has become a lifestyle for the Nawras team. Solidarity, spirit and noble thoughts have brought the team together. It has done a great job and feels proud to be part of Nawras.” The team’s last two destinations before arriving in Muscat were the Omani Women’s Association in Manah and Al Wafa Centre in Dema Wa Al Taeen. The Omani Women’s Association organised a series of entertainment events, which was attended by children too, who also celebrated the occasion of Qaranqashoo. A number of entertaining and comic plays were also staged for the audience. Khalsa bint Said Al Toobi, head of the Association, appreciated the role played by Nawras Goodwill Journey in providing assistance to different centres and associations and also mentioned the gesture made by Nawras in providing the association with a new car to facilitate administrative matters. Cormack delighted Cormack attended the event in Manah and was in his elements. “This is one of the fantastic events. It was lovely to be part of this occasion. The plays that were performed during the event were entertaining,” he said. Nawras team also gifted the children at Al Wafa Centre in Dema Wa Al Taeen a variety of books, toys and educational materials. A number of essential supplies were also given to the centre comprising tables, chairs, sewing machines and other necessary equipments. “All thanks to the Nawras team for their efforts in helping our special group of children,” said Malek bin Rashid Al Rasbi, director of social development in the wilayat of Ibra.

Oman - Learning the online way

MUSCAT — KnowledgeOman.com, Oman’s leading knowledge sharing community portal, has received great response since the launch of the KO Online School programme, it being the first e-learning community platform in the Sultanate and a major leap towards free online education in Oman. Over 280 students have registered in the KO School programme offered in both English and Arabic for its users. The initial programmes were in the field of ICT in the areas of Adobe Photoshop, C++, Web Designing, VB.Net, Networking, Java, IC3 and SQL, and the KO team is currently working on introducing new programme to cater to the various needs of the community. Students positively shared their experiences in the KO School, as one of the students Bushra Aleem said, “I joined the KO School because I was eager to learn online and I could join a school and learn ‘freely’ without any formalities like giving an entry test or buying new books. The level of teaching is just as good as attending a school but with added benefits such as learning from the comfort of your own home. A forum has been set up as well so that students can ask questions and exchange ideas easily with the teachers and other students.” “My advice to those who have joined the KO School would be to take advantage of the great opportunity that has been given by KnowledgeOman.com and learn with full interest through the lessons that are being provided,” added a spokesperson. Great experience Another KO School student, Hassan Al Muqbali, added “Knowledge means power. It’s the most powerful weapon on earth since the beginning of humanity. “I learnt a lot from the KO forums, and when the KO School was launched I knew that I could learn even more. I like the way we are taught. The KO team knew whom to choose to be our teachers and it’s one of the reasons why I enjoy it a lot.” Tariq Hilal Al Barwani, founder and president of KnowledgeOman.com, said, “We launched KO School as part of promoting knowledge and reaching the community via utilising what technology offers, with education being the nation’s wealth and the cornerstone of our community. “We are pleased to learn about the fruitful response the programme has generated for the community.” KnowledgeOman.com has two user interfaces, English and Arabic, and has so far attracted more than 3,000 registered members since the launch last year. The portal is managed by a team of dedicated local and expatriate professionals and enthusiasts who share the passion for sharing knowledge and making a difference. Achievements The various achievements of KnowledgeOman.com include winning the International Standard Web Technology Award from Oman Web Awards 2009, linking with the global software giant Microsoft, collaborating with the governmental Information Technology Authority (ITA), launching KO Mobile product and other initiatives, along with a quality online portal that has become a leading knowledge hub attracting a diverse group of visitors and members.

Omantel’s ADSL packages for business customers unveiled

MUSCAT — Omantel has introduced a new range of ADSL packages for business customers with limited and unlimited download options. The unlimited packages are offered at the existing rates whereby business customers have the choice of speeds ranging from 1Mbps to 16Mbps. The limited download packages, mainly targeted for small and medium enterprises, are available at 512Kbps, 1Mbps and 2Mbps speed at attractive rates. With the new business ADSL Internet Packages, Omantel plays a role in supporting the efforts of E-Government and corporate E-Commerce initiatives that require reliable broadband Internet service at affordable prices. ADSL packages Adil Al Raisi, VP of Corporate Customers said at a press conference which was held yesterday. The new business ADSL packages come in five different options, with high Internet speeds, unlimited download, and antivirus and anti spam protection. Adil Al Raisi also added: the first package offers unlimited free download at 1Mbps speed. Subscribers of this package get 3 free e-mail accounts with anti-virus and anti-spam protection for an affordable monthly rate of RO49. The second package offers unlimited free download at a speed of 2Mbps, along with 5 free e-mail accounts with antivirus and anti-spam protection for a monthly rate of RO95. The third option comes at a speed of 4Mbps offering unlimited download, and eight free e-mail accounts with antivirus and anti-spam protection for a monthly rent of RO135. The fourth package has a speed of 8Mbps with unlimited download and 10 free e-mail accounts with anti-virus and anti-spam protection for a monthly rent of RO195. The fifth option is at a speed of 16Mbps, the fastest package in the entire region, offers unlimited free download and 15 free e-mail accounts with antivirus and anti-spam protection for a monthly rate of RO355. New ADSL packages with limited download: Adil Al Raisi also said: “In addition to the above mentioned 5 packages, Omantel has launched 3 new ADSL packages with limited download at competitive prices suitable for small and medium companies”. Al Raisi added: the first package, with a speed of 512Kbps, is introduced for the first time for the businesses segment. It offers 3GB free download and 1 free e-mail account with anti-virus anti-spam protection for a monthly rate of RO17 only. The second is 1Mbps package, which offers 5GB free traffic and 2 free e-mail accounts with anti-virus anti-spam protection for a monthly rent of RO29. The third is the 2Mbps package, which offers 10GB free traffic, 3 free email accounts with antivirus and anti spam protection for a monthly rate of RO43. Al Raisi confirmed these packages, Omantel allows business customers that includes Government and Non Profit segments.

NBO-National Bank of Oman's Ramadan service for high-value customers

MUSCAT — National Bank of Oman (NBO) recently announced ‘Evening Banking’ services during Ramadan, for all its Sadara customers. “Sadara Wealth Management Services” is an exclusive premium banking service, tailor-made to provide privileged customers, with personalised attention, complete with an array of benefits including a dedicated relationship manager, private and luxurious lounges to discuss banking needs promptly and discreetly, in all major cities in Oman, express transaction teller services, reserved parking spaces, and a host of other services. NBO’s Evening Banking Service, for its Sadara customers, is being offered as an added convenience for them, at the Sadara Shatti Centre located at NBO’s Al Shatti Al Qurum Branch, Jawaharat Al Shatti, next to Second Cup. Sadara relationship managers, led by Khalil Al Hudaifi, NBO’s Sadara Centre manager, are happy to welcome the customers between 8.30pm to 11.00pm, throughout the holy month of Ramadan. Relationship managers will be available during these hours to assist customer expediency, share their knowledge and expertise for any banking and investment needs. Hassan Shaban, NBO’s AGM and head of Wealth Management said: “In response to our valuable customer requests, we have extended the working hours at our Sadara Centre, at our Shatti Al Qurum branch. At NBO we always strive to keep convenience of the customer as our priority and go that extra mile to serve them even better”.

Omani calligrapher to be jury at Delphic Games

MUSCAT — Omani artist and calligrapher Saleh Al Shukairi has been awarded a prestigious assignment. He has become the first Omani and the only Arab artist to receive a personal invitation from the organising committee of The 3rd Delphic Games 2009 in Jeju City, Korea, to be a member of the jury committee for the crafts, design and visual arts competition at the event. The 3rd Delphic Games 2009, in Jeju, which will be held from September 9 to 15 will see art competition in six art categories and 18 disciplines — music and acoustics arts, performing arts, craft, design and visual arts, lingual arts, communication and social arts, architecture and ecological arts under the motto Tuning into Nature. Some 1,500 participants from 40 countries will participate in the third Delphic Games to show off their cultural and artistic diversity. The Delphic Games was a competition of culture and arts among ancient city nations of Greece that ran for about 1,000 years from the 6th century BC to AD 394. The modern era Delphic movement was started by a German J. Christian B. Kirsch, who thought global cultural exchange will facilitate international understanding. Enterprising Thanks to his enterprising attitude, representatives of 18 nations founded the International Delphic Council (IDC) in Berlin, Germany in 1994. In the 3rd Delphic Games 2009 apart from being a jury committee member Omani artist Saleh Al Shukairi will also present an exhibition which will feature several of his new paintings that have received rave reviews for its innovative style and technique. Saleh’s presentation, titled ‘History of Arabic Calligraphy in Oman before 500 years’, will be a highlight of the event. Speaking to Times of Oman, Saleh Al Shukairi said, I am very honoured to be appointed as jury committee member at the event which will be held on the beautiful resort island of Jeju. Saleh Al Shukairi’s presentation has been translated into three languages including Japanese, Korean and English. “I am really excited and it will be a recognition for artists from this region,” he said. The 3rd Delphic Games 2009 is expected to create art exchange networks among various international art organisations and participating nations and Saleh is looking forward to it. “I hope to meet artists from different fields at the event. As we know it is intended to share the value of culture and exchange ideas,” Saleh added. Top artists in various genres from around the world will participate in the third Delphic Games. Ambassador “As an ambassador of Oman I hope to do jusice to my representation,” he added. The Delphic Games were named after Delphi, in Greece, where the Temple of Apollo stands. While the Olympic Games presented sports contests as a platform for military drills, the Delphic Games dedicated a cultural festival to Apollo, the deity of the sun, and featured various musical instruments such as the lyre, flute, ghitarra and songs, pantomime and drama. Prominent masters include French mime artist Philippe Genty; his wife and collaborator Mary Underwood; Mongolian morin huur (stringed instrument) player Tseyen Tserendorj; Korean folk play master Sim Woo-sung; French poet and critic Claude Mouchard; American typo designer Jill Bell; German architect Kristin Feireiss; and Japanese book designer Sugiura Kohei will hold maestro programmes including workshops and exhibitions during the event. The first Delphic Games was held in December 2000 in Moscow, Russia with participation from 27 countries followed by the second in September 2005 in Kuching, Malaysia, with participation from 21 countries.

Higher committee to deal with H1N1

MUSCAT — His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has issued Royal Orders constituting a higher committee to devise a mechanism to deal with the H1N1 pandemic and follow up the measures to be taken by the authorities concerned in this regard, a statement issued by the Diwan of Royal Court said yesterday. The committee will make use of an appropriate mechanism that will enable it to discharge its assigned tasks diligently. The committee will also frame appropriate proposals, recommendations and solutions.The committee will be headed by the minister of the Diwan of Royal Court and include the minister of the Royal Office, the minister of interior, the minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, the minister of health, the minister of Awqaf and religious affairs and the minister of information as members