Promoting cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue are amongst the chief missions of UNESCO. In the framework of the major project “Integral Study of the Silk Roads: Roads of Dialogue”, the UNESCO organized a “Maritime Route Expedition” between October 1990 and March 1991, in order to highlight the process of cross fertilization between civilization generated by the Silk road.

The Maritime Route Expedition was made possible thanks to the generosity of H. M. Sultan Qaboos, who placed at the disposal of the Expedition his own ship, the Fulk-al-Salamah (Ship of Peace). The expedition departed from Venice in Italy on 13 October 1990 and arrived to Osaka in Japan on 9 March 1991. During 6 months, international teams of scholars and academics visited 15 countries located along the ancient silk route, confronting their knowledge and exchanging views with local scholars during the seminars and conferences taking place at historic sites en route. Commenting on the Maritime Route Expedition, former UNESCO Director General Federico Mayor declared: “Often known by the name of the Spice Route, the Sea Route in reality carried a great many other goods such as silk and ceramics, as well as no less precious if intangible cultural products such as ideas, myths and legends…”

The 3000-year old Maritime Route owed its special prominence to the 8th and 9th century technical revolution of the Arab Civilization. In this respect, Omanis had a major contribution in mastering the art of shipbuilding. Later it was the Portuguese who, in the sixteenth century, opened up a new age in the history of navigation.

The Sohar Ship is a traditional Arab ship built in Oman using ancient shipbuilding techniques, the ship was used for The Sindbad Voyage' from Oman to China in 1980.