The Philippine Embassy in Muscat launched the first Sentro Rizal cultural center and library in the Middle East to give Filipino expats in Oman and their children an opportunity to reconnect with their homeland through books, films and other published materials. As a place for cultural exchange, the library also contains a section on Islam and Filipino Muslims, Oman, and the different countries in Asia. Books for the Asian collection were presented by spouses of the Asian Ambassadors in Muscat at a luncheon held at the Sentro Rizal hall.

Sentro Rizal was created under the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 to promote Philippine culture and heritage in the world. It was envisioned “as the Philippine counterpart of France’s Alliance Française or Germany’s Goethe-Institut”. The National Commission for Culture and the Arts opened the world’s first Sentro Rizal in Intramuros on June 28, 2011 on the 150th birth anniversary of Rizal. 

The collection at Muscat’s Sentro Rizal library include donations by NCCA, University of the Philippines Diliman, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Ayala Foundation’s Filipinas Heritage Library, Ateneo de Manila University, Film Development Council of the Philippines, and Film Academy of the Philippines. A marble sculpture of Rizal created by Filipino artist Anastacio Caedo was flown in from Manila in time for the inauguration on June 12. NCCA through its Chairman, Professor Felipe M. de Leon Jr. and Executive Director, Ms. Emelita V. Almosara donated the Rizal bust.

In showing the library to guests that included Omani officials, local media and library patrons, Ambassador Joselito A. Jimeno reiterated that Sentro Rizal “will bring the richness of Philippine arts, culture, history, and language to Oman.” 

Muhammad bin Obeid Al-Maskari, Library Head of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, who attended with Salim bin Jum Al-Bahluli, Director of Literature Department, told the Times of Oman that “such initiatives by local embassies contribute a lot to developing cultural ties between expat communities and Omani people.” Al Maskari added, “It’s good the embassy opened this library.”