In Muscat’s Azaiba district, 20 Omani youth, some of them fresh out of high school, are engaged in something truly worthy – preserving a slice of heritage that is world-famous. They are learning to make a traditional Omani khanjar.
Under the watchful eyes of khanjar specialists Nasser Said Ibrahim Al Belushi and his assistant Saleh bin Said Saleh Al Jabri, the girls and boys are carving contemporaneity to take the shape of timelessness.

The wizened eyes of the septuagenarians shine with pride and joy at having the opportunity of passing on to the younger generation a trade and skill that they learnt from their ancestors many years ago.

What is it that draws these modern-day boys and girls, many of them still in their teens, to spend close to a 1,000 hours in a gruelling six-month course to learn a traditional craft that perhaps is, to put it in one way, a bit too traditional for modern tastes? Or is it? What is it that attracts them to saws and blowtorches and not to microchips and the mouse?

The answer is a deep respect for their heritage. The khanjar evokes in every Omani a strong emotional and patriotic feeling. It is a part of the design of the country’s flag and is also a symbol of their national identity.

The move to revive the art of making a khanjar is part of a larger programme in Oman initiated by the Directorate General of Handicrafts to conserve and keep the country’s heritage alive, as well as provide new avenues of employment to Omani nationals.
At present, the art of khanjar-making is confined to elderly traditional craftsmen and has been taken up by expatriate workers.

Learning this skill is seen as part of restoration of Omani pride and patriotism among the younger generation. And this is evident on the faces of the group of students as they diligently work their way to creating these beautiful objects.

Full article (http://gulfnews.com/Articles/FeaturesNF.asp?ArticleID=184348)

I think this is one of the best ways to help young people to learn more about history and traditions, and to encourage them not to forget the past in order to build a bright and strong future here in Oman.
I usually don't praise government a lot, but this really is one of those little steps that brings to bigger ones :)

I read about this project time back. I guess many joined, both male & female. A good move for this traditional industry, where I believe most of the people working on it are old people, so they need for young generation to keep it alive.