Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) and the Information Technology Authority (ITA) in conjunction with Nawras, Huawei, UMS, Infocomm, Coventry University and the UK's Advantage West Midlands Regional Development Agency have come together to organise Oman's annual Serious Games Conference.

The event will be held at KOM in Muscat on March 31 and April 1, 2008.

“To be working alongside ITA and partnering with top class organisations like Nawras, Huawei, UMS, Infocomm, Coventry University and Advantage West Midlands is a real privilege and it's partnerships like this that takes the eGames Conference to a higher level,” said KOM's director general Mohammed Al Maskari.

“Public-private sector alliances like this one will certainly help all parties take ICT awareness in the sultanate to a broader audience. This is something that we at ITA are very excited about,” said ITA's Tufool Al Dhahab.

Held under the patronage of minister of commerce and industry Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, this year's eGames conference will consider the applications of serious gaming to tourism, heritage, culture, education and health.

“Leading experts from Europe and the US in a range of digital media and communications technologies will be showcasing the use of advanced and innovative technologies to enrich Oman's culture, heritage, tourism and education experience and make it globally accessible to the widest audience. If you're involved in any of these sectors then eGames is a must attend event and what's more, it's free of charge,” added Al Maskari. – TradeArabia News Service