Samarkand: The inclusion was announced during the 43rd session of UNESCO’s General Conference, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 30 to November 13, 2025.

With this recognition, the number of Omani figures honored in UNESCO’s centenary and jubilee celebrations rises to nine, underscoring Oman’s enduring contribution to world culture, literature, and knowledge.

Abdullah bin Ali Al-Khalili, born in 1922 in Samail, earned the title “Prince of Eloquence” for his masterful use of language and poetic depth. His works often revolved around themes of love, longing, and remembrance. Throughout his lifetime, he published nine poetry collections, including Al-Khayal Al-Wafir (Abundant Imagination), Faris Al-Dhad (Knight of the Letter Dhad), and Bayn Al-Fiqh Wal-Adab (Between Jurisprudence and Literature). Al-Khalili’s creative range extended to short stories, maqamat, and plays such as Jadhima Wal-Malik (Jadhima and the King). He passed away in Muscat on July 30, 2000.

The second honoree, Muhammad bin Yazid Al-Azdi, known as Al-Mubarrad, hailed from Muqa’asa in North Al Batinah. Renowned for his sharp intellect and eloquence, he was a master linguist and poet whose contributions left a lasting mark on Arabic grammar and literature. His seminal work Al-Muqtadab is considered the second most important grammar text after Sibawayh’s Kitab. Al-Mubarrad’s scholarship extended into hermeneutics and rhetoric, where he emphasized linguistic precision and the moral dimension of language through works like The Epistle of Rhetoric.

Oman’s successful inclusion of these two luminaries continues its tradition of celebrating national intellectual heritage on the global stage. The Sultanate has previously seen seven other Omani figures recognized by UNESCO, including Al-Khalil bin Ahmed Al-Farahidi (2005), Rashid bin Omairah Al-Hashimi (2013), Sheikh Nour Al-Din Al-Salmi and Ibn Al-Dhahabi (2015), Abu Muslim Al-Bahlani (2019), navigator Ahmed bin Majid Al-Saadi (2021), and historian Hamid bin Muhammad bin Raziq (2023).