VHS Vienna, Austria

May 02, 2010 through May 31, 2011

On May 10, 2011 the exhibition "Religious Tolerance: Islam in Oman" was officially opened at the Volkshochschule (VHS) Meidling in Vienna, Austria, with more than 500 visitors in attendance. Opening speeches were given by Dr. Gerhard Bisovky, Director of the VHS Meidling, together with His Excellence Dr. Badr Al-Hinai, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Austria who also serves as Oman‘s envoy to the United Nations in Vienna.

In his speech (pdf-download) the ambassador highlighted the fact that Islam was peacefully accepted in Oman during Prophet Mohammed‘s lifetime, and that ever since Oman has an unbroken tradition of peaceful coexistence among the religions in the country.

Subsequently a short welcoming speech was given by Dr. Hilde Hawlicek, the former federal Minister for Education, Art and Culture, in the name of the Austro-Omani Association, and by Mohammed Al-Mamari on behalf of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Muscat.

Mr. Al-Mamari and Mr. Georg Popp, co-directors of the project "Religious Tolerance in Oman" provided background information as to how this initiative began and what are the intentions behind it.

The evening concluded with a showing of the short documentary film "Religious Tolerance in Oman" by Wolfgang Ettlich, who was honored by the guests with a long round of applause.