Women Expo 2006 opens today in Muscat

The exhibition, which will run until December 15, features over 65 local and international companies dealing in products and services for women. The exhibition timings are from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and then from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Since Women Expo 2006 caters to the needs and interests of women, entry to the six-day event is restricted to ladies and families only.

"Women Expo is very timely in the face of the important contribution of a growing number of women in the social and economic development of the sultanate,"

said C.J. Paul, general manager of Omanexpo LLC, the company that first launched the event last year.

Paul pointed out that this year's edition of the event is bigger than in 2005 with the participation of more companies from Oman and from other countries worldwide. The products and services they offer primarily cover the following major areas: beauty and health, jewellery and wedding concepts, fashion and lifestyle, education and finance, home improvement products as well as food and child care.

Specifically, among the products on display in the exhibition are home appliances, cosmetics, leather products, kitchen equipment, garments, jewelries, and fashion accessories. Women Expo 2006 also features new car models, baby products, health information and services, perfumes, food products, and educational opportunities for women.

In addition to the exhibition, Paul revealed that various activities are also scheduled on all days of the event. These range from cooking demonstrations, musical performances and beauty product testing to flower and candle arrangement, song and dance presentations, and craft demonstrations. To see the full schedule of activities, visitors are advised to visit the Women Expo website at www.omanexpo.com/womenexpo.

Women Expo 2006 is supported by Bank Muscat as the major sponsor and the Muscat Private Hospital as the co-sponsor. It is officially endorsed by the Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Association for Cancer Awareness (NACA), the Omani Society of Fine Arts (OSFA), the Oman Women Association at Seeb, the Omani Women Association -Muscat, and the Omani Women Sports Development Committee. It is also supported by Sadaf as the official decorator and Al Sawadi Beach Resort as the cooking demo sponsor.

The event has likewise garnered wide media support with Al Mar'a serving as the official magazine. The media partners, on the other hand, are Usrat Al Youm Magazine, Kul Al Usra Magazine, Oman Daily Observer, Arabic Daily Oman, Oman Tribune and Al Watan.

"We are fully encouraged by the strong support extended to the exhibition, and the active participation of many companies in Oman clearly indicates the high relevance of an exclusive exhibition for women," said Smita Raj Handa, event manager of Women Expo 2006.

Apart from the sponsors, the local companies with a major presence in the exhibition include Muscat Pharmacy & Stores LLC, Oman Trading Establishment LLC, Oman Marketing and Trading Co. LLC, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles LLC, Salman Stores, Khimji Pharmacy, Eastern Pearls Company, A'Saffa Poultry Farms SAOG, Khimji Ramdas, Napco Consumer Product Co., Towell Unilever LLC, Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Oman Tourism College, and Ramniklal B. Kothary & Co. LLC.

The international exhibitors of Women Expo 2006 come all the way from Brunei Darussalam, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Handa pointed out that all women have a chance to win valuable prizes by simply visiting the exhibition. Among the prizes at stake are air tickets for a family of four to Sharjah, dinner sets, Tefal non-stick cookware and stew pots, and sewing machines.