MAHMOOD: As salaam alaikum rahmat’Allah wu’barakatum, my name is Mahmood Ahmed Zadjali.
ZULFA: My name is Zulfa Saif Al-Battashi
ABDULLAH: My name is Aziz Abdullah ‘Amr Sultan ‘Amr Sultan ‘Amr Sultan Am Al Hajri.
KHADIJA: My name is Khadija Ibrahim Al Balushi
MOHAMMED: My name is Mohammed Salem Hamid Said Al Wahaibi. I'm 22 years old my family is originally from Muscat and I am Omani .
MAHMOOD: And I'm Omani.
KHADIJA: And I'm Omani.
ZULFA: I'm 21 years old and I'm Omani.
ABDULLAH: I'm Abdullah and I'm Omani. [00:00:30]
[BACKGROUND MUSIC COMES IN AT 00:00:29]
TITLE: A YOUNG NATION [00:00:31]
SUBTITLE: THE FUTURE OF OMAN THROUGH THE EYES OF ITS YOUTH [00:00:34]
LOWER THIRD: [00:01:13] Khalid Al Haribi, Deputy CEO, Riyada Small and Medium Enterprise Authority
KHALID: In the Sultanate of Oman we're at around 4.2 million people in population. Around 2.4 million are Omani nationals. Of those people we're talking about more than 60% who are under the age of 30.
[OFF MIC CONVERSATION, NAT SOUND]
PETERSON: [00:01:37] Oman had just changed in 1970 when
LOWER THIRD: [00:01:41] Dr. J. E. Peterson, Political analyst, Oman historian, former historian of Omani Armed Forces
PETERSON: Sultan Qaboos overthrew his father Said and embarked on a program of rapid modernization, socio-economic development and opening to the outside world.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
PETERSON: [00:02:01] One of the major changes has been in education. Oman offers free education to all of its children. The promise of education is that young people will be qualified to do many sorts of jobs. There's a real question as to how qualified many Omanis are.
FATMA: [00:02:25] I've got a lot of people complaining that the university is not helping them and
LOWER THIRD: [00:02:30] Fatma Bahwan, OnePulse Projects Manager, co-founder The Lounge
FATMA: I would ask them “so have you done anything?” You know? If you want to complain sure, do complain, but just give me solutions.
FATMA: Some of you it’s their first time in The Lounge so I'm just going to briefly talk about the lounge. The Lounge is a business hub for youth we'd like to inspire the younger generation to start working on their projects, their talents to provide them with a sustainable platform to help [00:03:00] them grow their talents.
MOHAMMED: [00:03:02] We started a project called
LOWER THIRD: [00:03:04] Moammed Al-Wahaibi, OnePulse CEO, co-founder The Lounge
MOHAMMED: The lounge or al’rudha in Arabic. This project aims to be a physical hub for youth projects and youth ideas.
MAHMOOD: [00:03:23] We created this space for people to explore
LOWER THIRD: [00:03:25] Mahmood Al-Zadjali Intern, social and multimedia, The Lounge
MAHMOOD: Their real potential and their real skills. To see what they can literally add to this community and what they can do with themselves.
ZULFA: [00:03:35] Every young person should be
LOWER THIRD: [00:03:37] Zulfa Saif Al-Battashi, Student at Sultan Qaboos University, member of The Lounge
ZULFA: An opportunity grabber. You see an opportunity don’t be too scared to get it, like, just go out there and get it.
KHALID: [00:03:42] We are in a society
LOWER THIRD: [00:03:44] Khalid Al Haribi, Deputy CEO, Riyada Small and Medium Enterprise Authority
KHALID: That mainly looks more favorably towards public sector jobs. There was a survey that was done by I think the National Center for Statistics and Information that said -- that found that more than 80% of high school students [00:04:00] are favoring government jobs over private sector jobs.
LOWER THIRD: [00:04:05] Shabib AL Ma’amri, Executive Director, Injaz Oman, youth entrepreneurship non-profit organization
SHABIB: [00:04:05] IMF is anticipating that the private sector in Oman needs to create 40,000 jobs on annual basis. And trust me the public sector isn’t going to create 40,000 jobs. It needs to come from private sector and it needs to come also from start-ups.
MAHMOOD: [00:04:26] Entrepreneurship or what we're doing here at The Lounge it’s a way to a solution, to break that chain of routine that every single young Omani is going through which is grow up, go to college, get a job, get married, die. That’s not how we're supposed to do it.
MAHMOOD: Alright, update, so we just crossed the Abu Dhabi border finally after like a long, long queue and we're heading right now to the IGN conference. Nerds, gamers, developers [00:05:00] from all around the GCC area come under one roof to share thoughts and ideas and the latest games. My friends are going to the conference I'm going to go with them; I'm going to have some good time, period.
[BACKGROUND MUSIC PLAYING]
MAHMOOD: [00:05:19] Muscat to us is like a bubble. In Muscat -- I'm talking here in Muscat only, our younger generations are so influenced by the western culture, but the Omani society is very cautious when it comes to risk taking.
ZULFA: [00:05:37] Whenever since we were like 18 we know what's coming ahead. I'm going to graduate when I’m 24, I'm going to work until 26 and then I'm going to get married, I'm going to have kids, I'm going to have a house and that’s it. Whoever wants to, like, do something different, you're wrong. Everyone judges you.
[BACKGROUND MUSIC PLAYING]
SUBTITLE: “Wedding reception in the Omani Baluchi tradition” [00:05:47]
ZULFA: [00:06:02] I'd like it if that changes too. Like, don’t plan out my life for me. Let me just be.
MAHMOOD: [00:06:08] Anything we do as young Omanis that our parents didn’t do when they were young, it’s taboo. Period.
[MUSIC AND SINGING]
SUBTITLE: “Majaz village, Sohar, 140 miles from Muscat. Albadi tribe Eid celebration.” [00:06:17]
LOWER THIRD: Ahmed Albadi, of the Albadi tribe in Sohar, northeast Oman [00:06:31]
AHMED: [00:06:30] Like we are simple people we have, like, good jobs but by the end of the day we come back to the village and we try to preserve our culture.
[SINGING, CALL TO PRAYER IN ARABIC]
SUBTITLE: “Bahla, 95 miles from Muscat, Interior of Oman” [00:06:54]
LOWER THIRD: Saif Al Qassabi, student, Sultan Qaboos University, from Bahla [00:07:00]
SAIF: [00:07:04] [subtitled in English from the Arabic] Bahla is different from Muscat. First of all, the people in Bahla are more conservative and traditional. Bahla wasn’t affected as much by progress, so the people stayed more conservative.
[OFF CAMERA TALKING IN ARABIC]
SAIF: [subtitled in English from the Arabic] In Muscat, no one knows you. But here, we are all close. [Speaks in English] If I did anything here, anything bad or good, anything bad or good, from my face and my family name they will know. Before I go back to my home, my family know that I did that thing. That’s different. [Honks horn] My friend!
SAIF: [subtitled in English from the Arabic] Hamid! What’s up? How are you? [00:08:00]
HAMID: [subtitled in English from the Arabic] How are you?
SAIF: [subtitled in English from the Arabic] What a coincidence! Are you on holiday?
HAMID: [subtitled in English from the Arabic] A small holiday. Where are you going?
SAIF: [subtitled in English from the Arabic] Going to visit the workshop. Ok, see you!
HAMID: [subtitled in English from the Arabic] Ok, see you.
SAIF: [subtitled in English from the Arabic] First of all, development affected Muscat because it’s the capital. People go there from all different nationalities, cultures, religions. Naturally, living in a developed place affects you, and you affect it.
MAHMOOD: Every country has its history, and
SUBTITLE: “Jabal Akhdar, 70 miles from Muscat, Al Hajar range, interior of Oman” [00:08:33]
MAHMOOD: I believe every young generation -- every new generation should learn about their history because it defines who you are as a country or a citizen.
LOWER THIRD: Hamood Hamid Alzakwani [00:08:42]
HAMID: Where we live it is down here. When we go there, we will see is. There's a few people are living there.
MAHMOOD: [00:09:00] But, I sincerely think that Oman is right now in a box. We should break that box. Literally, break that box.
PETERSON: [00:09:08] There's a tug I think amongst many young people between respecting the order of society, respecting their elders, respecting their family and getting what they think is do them.
LOWER THIRD: Ahmed Albadi of the Albadi tribe in Sohar, northeast Oman [00:09:24]
AHMED: Yeah in 2011 actually what happened it was like just accumulation of all the troubles. The un-democracy [sic], freedom of right, right for the people it’s not there. I don’t believe the system was listening to the people it was only a message coming from up to down, no message been heard coming from down to up. I am against any violence, but Sohar had its own share in 2011 [00:10:00]. We have a saying in Arabic it’s like the stick that broke the camel back.
PETERSON: [00:10:07] If you spoke to almost any Omani adult they almost invariably would say that before 1970 there was nothing, and after 1970 everything started to happen and the reason for that was Sultan Qaboos.
MOHAMMED: [00:10:23] (subtitled in English from the Arabic) Now in Oman, since His Majesty is here, everything is stable. My name is Mohammed bin Hamdan bin Salim bin Abouda bin S’laim bin Rashed bin Hussein bin Mohammed bin Rashed. A’Siyabi.
MOHAMMED: (subtitled in English from the Arabic) Being led by Qaboos, it’s straight. He talks straight. Now, it’s easier. It’s not like before. Before we were on donkeys and camels, [00:11:00] now you can take a car. It’s changing. Things are changing. Now, thank God, it’s good.
AYSHA: (subtitled in English from the Arabic) [00:11:09] Come, come. This is the school. But this one is new, they made it recently. This one is new. It’s not the old school, it’s to show what the school was like.
AYSHA: (subtitled in English from the Arabic) [00:11:26] My grandfather has always lived here. Since I was born they were living in this area. My grandfather Saif’s house. He was the sheikh in the area. Life is different, it’s easier now. Everything is easy, nothing is hard. Now, nobody carries water on their heads or has to walk to the well or run the diesel pump. Now, everyone has water in their house, and it’s as easy as turning on the tap. [00:12:00] Everyone has water at home and life is much easier. Now it’s much better than before.
PETERSON: [00:12:15] The government, like other governments in the Gulf, assumed responsibility for development in which way that was going to go and therefore it had a very strong control of the economy, and there's been serious attempts into get the government out of the economy as much as possible.
KHALID: [00:12:31] So Riyada has a huge and challenging task, but we're very glad to take it on, which is to see that the views of young people towards work is not only for working in the public sector as it is very common in this part of the region, but that it also looks at entrepreneurship and looks at starting a small enterprise for example.
SHABIB: [00:12:54] You can't rely on the governorate to solve all your problems; you can't rely [00:13:00] on the leadership of the country to solve every single problem. I believe in free education, I believe in free health care but at the same time what am I bringing to my nation?
SPEAKER: [00:13:15] They can create their own career, at the same time that will give them the ambitions to be entrepreneurs in the future to continue on what you're doing. Not only to think like after graduating I need a job, no you can also create your own job, you can create an own opportunity for yourself and for people with you at the same time.
SHABIB: [00:13:34] That kind of attitude must be a core of our culture, especially with the leadership change that will eventually happen.
KHAULA: [00:13:45] Right now the government has become oversaturated and can no longer employ youth. So the only solution would be to divert them to the private sector whether it’s to work in the private sector [00:14:00] or to create their own jobs to come up with their own businesses. It’s all about entrepreneurship, creating jobs for yourself and for the youth around you.
FATMA: [00:14:10] We are currently working on Oman's first inter capitalism and entrepreneurial conference to educate people about what venture capitalism is.
FATMA: [TALKS OFF MIC] Yeah, everything is right. Halas it’s clear?
[OPENING PRAYER BEING SUNG IN ARABIC]
FATMA: [00:14:52] Right now when it comes to funding for startups and projects here in Oman you have [00:15:00] you know your governmental funding programs who have been doing great so far.
SPEAKER: [AT PODIUM OFF MIC] The public authority for SME development, which is Riyada, and it is about transferring….
FATMA: [00:15:09] Yet there aren’t as many innovative ideas and things like that.
[SPEAKING IN ARABIC]
FATMA: And it’s mainly all governmental. So this is kind of the private sector’s part of funding.
SPEAKER: [00:15:26] “We don’t celebrate failure” is a regular complaint.
FATMA: And these chances, we don’t get it as much, here in Oman.
KHAULA: [00:15:37] We’re trying to create the future leaders for this country. The youth are the driving force of every society and they are the future. Our role is to prepare them for that, to instill the right values, you know? And to make sure that they’re ready to participate from now in the [00:16:00] economical development or the economical planning of the country.
PETERSON: [00:16:02] Politically, the immediate challenge in Oman has to be succession. The sultan is 75, he’s not in good health, he may be around for another 5 years, another ten years, we don’t know.
LOWER THIRD: David Dunford, Former U.S. Ambassador to Oman, Saudi Arabia and Egypt
DAVID: [00:16:19] The problem for Omanis is that the sultan doesn’t have any children, and the succession process has never been tried.
PETERSON: Even in a smooth transition, changes will be set in way because the current system was created explicitly for the needs and wishes of this sultan.
SHABIB: [00:16:42] Um, hopefully it will be a smooth change. Everybody’s concerned, everybody knows we love our sultan, it’s uncertain what would happen after him. We believe that there is a plan, we trust him [00:17:00] and we trust our royal family, but you know, Oman is not the same Oman 45 years ago.
KHAULA: [00:17:09] There’s so much, whether it’s the kindness, the generosity of Omanis…we happen to be welcoming as a nation, and I hope this never ever changes with our youth.
SPEAKER: I’m so excited! Can we swim?
ASMA: Yeah yeah, sure.
HAMAD: Yeah, you can swim.
KHAULA: [00:17:29] We’re a peaceful nation. With the great leadership of His Majesty we’ve been able to develop this reputation. I hope that remains as it is, I hope we continue in the same footsteps and complete the journey that he has begun.
DAVID: [00:17:44] There is a sense among most Omanis that he is their leader and that he does care about them.
MAHMOOD: [00:17:52] I’m not sure what could happen when His Majesty will not longer be [00:18:00] the sultan. He’s just this huge….I don’t know where to start with this subject because it’s such a big thing, and such a scary thing because…As young Omanis, we demand so much. And he’s been answering all our demands one way or another. What if this next person doesn’t listen to us as much as he did? Then what?
ZULFA: [00:18:26] It’s really scary to just think about it ‘cause I don’t know who’s going to come next, however I think he has it all planned out. He’s not just going to let us, you know, suffer.
AHMED: [00:18:40] And this is the danger, we need to communicate more over here. I don’t want to live in this dreamland that we are all ok, and that we’re fine.
DAVID: We’ve seen what’s happened to countries like Syria and Libya
SUBTITLE: [00:18:55] “Traditional Omani wedding, Wadi Shab, eastern coast of Oman”
DAVID: and we certainly don’t want to wish that on Oman.
[00:19:00] [MUSIC AND SINGING AT WEDDING CELEBRATION IN ARABIC]
DAVID: Because the sultan presided over fairly rapid growth for years and years, I think Oman has a good chance of getting through the succession crisis and getting through the economic issues.
MAHMOOD: [00:19:25] A man 40 years ago had a dream and he worked towards that dream and he made it happen. It’s His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
ZULFA: When he ruled the country he was so young himself, and he was-he managed to do it, and I think he sees that in us.
FATMA: [00:19:43] Doing what we do here in The Lounge is an entirely new experience. And, I really hope that what we’re doing here can accomplish all the things that we want to. You know, exposing [00:20:00] the youth of Oman to and entire new working dynamics and hoping that we are leading by example
MAHMOOD: [00:20:08] Happiness is a big thing. But happiness is not financial happiness, ok? Money is not everything in this world. Living and working for what you love is what matters the most. And that’s always what we try to print here, in The Lounge.
ZULFA: [00:20:28] If you really want to show your country how much it means to you, if you really love and value your country, then work to make it better.
KHALID: [00:20:38] Sometimes, the simplest answers are the best answers. Youth have the energy and the drive, and the seasoned segments of society have the expertise. If we can find a formula for that, then it would be great.
MAHMOOD: It is upon us, this young generation to take Oman [00:21:00] to the next level.
[CLOSING MUSIC AND CREDITS]