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On behalf of HRH Prince Al-Hassan bin Talal, the former Minister of Culture, Nabil Shuqum, inaugurated the "Omani Manuscript Conference", which was organized by the Omani Studies Unit at Al al-Bayt University in cooperation with the Fatwa Office at the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in the Sultanate of Oman.

The 14^th International Scientific Conference entitled “The Omani Manuscript - Indexing, Auditing and Studying - Between Reality and Prospects" was held with the participation of more than 57 scholars and researchers from 12 Arab countries.

Shuqum said that manuscripts are a basic and human civilizational pillar affecting the progress of the civilized world. He, further, pointed out that Omani manuscripts were among the treasures of Arab civilization because they were not limited to human and social sciences, but dealt with jurisprudence, geography, history and medicine, stressing the need to intensify institutional efforts to preserve and document manuscripts.

President of Al al-Bayt University, Prof. Hani Al-Dmour, confirmed that this conference is being held under the Hashemite patronage and in cooperation with the sisterly Sultanate of Oman represented by the Fatwa Office at the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs and in attendance of Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Ahmed Al Khalili to support the scientific movement and unique research in everything related to the Omani scientific and cultural civilization and its role in the industry, culture and human thought.

He added: "Scholars and researchers will participate in this conference to put the results of their research and summaries of their thought in the service of the blessed civilizational march of the sisterly Sultanate of Oman." In turn, the Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al-Khalili, stressed in a televised speech that this conference, which discusses the great Islamic heritage, that we are proud of, is only an opportunity to study the effects and exploits and publish them through available electronic publishing means to achieve the message of Islam in tolerance and moderation.

Dr. Abdel Majid bin Jalali from the Kingdom of Morocco stressed that this conference comes to achieve the lofty message and the pioneering role played by the Sultanate of Oman as a center for scientific radiation and knowledge dissemination throughout the Arab world.

At the conclusion of the opening, Al-Dmour honored the participants in the conference. After that, Shuqum opened an exhibition of the most important Omani books and manuscripts, in attendance of the Omani ambassador to Jordan, Hilal bin Marhoon Al-Maamari, and the Chairman of the University's Board of Trustees, Dr. Ali Mahafzeh.​