Forum
in Muscat Discusses Enhancing Family Identity, Addressing Digital Challenges
Muscat,
4 Nov 2026 (ONA) — The activities of the conference titled “The Family
Institution Between Identity and Digital Challenges,” organized under the
theme “For a Dignified Sustainable Life for All,” opened today.
The
opening was held under the auspices of Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Al Shamsi,
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development for Family and Community
Development Affairs.
The
two-day conference discusses the most prominent issues and challenges facing
the family amidst rapid social and digital transformations. It also focuses on
ways to enhance family cohesion and its ability to keep pace with variables,
supporting family stability, consolidating identity and values, and supporting
quality of life, economic empowerment, and family sustainability.
The
conference witnesses the participation of a number of experts and specialists
in family and community affairs from seven Arab countries, alongside
representatives from government entities and civil society associations.
Sayyida
Maani Abdullah Al Busaidi, Director General of Family Development at the
Ministry of Social Development, emphasized in her opening speech the Ministry’s
commitment to the family as the primary institution in building the human being
and the main incubator for instilling values, promoting identity, and
developing a balanced personality.
She
explained that the success of the digital upbringing ecosystem can only be
achieved through integrated partnerships in which responsibilities are shared
among government institutions, civil society organizations, and the private
sector. This enhances role integration and unifies efforts toward a common
goal: building a generation that possesses digital competence, ethical
awareness, and national belonging.
She
pointed out that responsibility today is not limited to preparing a generation
skilled in using technology alone, but extends to building generations that
possess the awareness enabling them to utilize technology to serve the nation,
contribute to its renaissance, and preserve its identity.
For
his part, Prof. Dera’ Mo’jab Al Dawsari, President of the International
Federation for Training and Development, explained in his speech that the true
success of a family is not measured by the absence of disagreements, but by its
ability to manage differences with awareness, wisdom, and emotional
intelligence. He noted that the higher the level of emotional awareness among
family members, the greater their ability to achieve understanding, tolerance,
and confront challenges.
He
stressed that investing in family stability is, in reality, an investment in
society’s security and the future of generations. A cohesive society cannot be
built without conscious families, nor can a successful generation be prepared
without a safe and stimulating family environment. He praised the efforts
exerted by the Sultanate of Oman in paying attention to family values and
enhancing societal cohesion, emphasizing that the rectitude of the family is
the true beginning of the rectitude of society.
—Ends/AG
