Omans creative presence drew global attention at the London Design Biennale 2025, running through June 29. The event brought together designers from across the world to showcase creativity and innovation. Representing Oman, engineer Haitham Al Busafi presented Memory Grid, which won the Best Design Award.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth led Oman’s involvement in the event. This move reflects the nation’s cultural strategy and long-term vision. Through international events, the ministry promotes local talent and cultural identity on a global stage. According to Ibrahim Saif Bani Oraba, Assistant Director-General of Arts, the ministry follows Oman Vision 2040 closely. He explained that the cultural strategy supports youth and drives innovation. Furthermore, it aims to make Oman a creative leader regionally and globally.
To ensure full youth engagement, the ministry assigned key roles to young Omanis. It selected Haitham Al Busafi to create the exhibition piece. Additionally, the youth-led Zawraq Group acted as the official pavilion evaluator.
Later, Haitham Al Busafi expressed deep pride after receiving the top design award. He called it a milestone for Oman’s creative journey. Moreover, he described Memory Grid as a combination of tradition and technology. His design used transparent replicas of Omani pottery shaped by machines. These were arranged like data centers to symbolize digital memory. Each transparent vessel represented both fragility and the openness of digital life.
Importantly, visitors interacted with the exhibit by contributing their own data and stories. As a result, this made the artwork a living archive. It evolved with each person’s shared memory, building a collective digital culture. Additionally, Za’eema Al Adawi, representing Zawraq Group, highlighted the impact of youth participation.
She stated that such roles empower young creators and foster leadership. She also emphasized that the project proved their readiness for international platforms. In conclusion, Omans creative presence at the London Design Biennale 2025 showcased cultural pride, youth empowerment, and artistic innovation worldwide.
