The birth of Sultan Qaboos born on November 18, 1940 at congratulate Sultan Said bin Taimur, in an era where such a great person was desperately needed. He was brought up to a great, noble man who transformed the history of Oman. When His Majesty Sultan Qaboos (May Allah protect him!) was only five years old, his father, Sultan Said bin Taimur, started to take a serious interest in his education. He had two teachers: Hassan Al-Jemaly, one of the working staff in Bayt Al-Maamourah in Salalah; and a teacher who had just returned from an educational mission in Egypt, Mr. Ibrahim Al-Hakim. He spent two years in a private 
educational institution in Suffolk; then in 1960 he joined the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) as an officer, where he studied a range of military sciences and the art of war. Two years later, he graduated and joined one of the British infantry battalions operating in what was then West Germany. After completing his study of military science, Sultan Qaboos returned to Britain, where he spent a year studying local government systems and completing a number of specialized courses in management. Then his father gave him the opportunity to tour around the world for three months, returning home in 1964.
When he came to the throne he put an end to the country’s isolation and enabled it to communicate actively with other Arab and Muslim countries. A highly-skilled change leader, Sultan Qaboos spearheaded his country’s development, successfully combining Oman’s great history and heritage with modern methods, tools and technology. In result of his selfless, tireless efforts, Oman now stands proudly with other nations on the world stage, and has become a well-respected member of the global community. He is the 8th Sultan of Oman in the direct sequence of the Al Bou Saids, a family that was founded by Imam Ahmad bin Said in 1744 AD.
From time to time His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said gets free from the political preoccupations and concerns of building a great nation to pursue other interests and hobbies. In such moments he may enjoy the company of a wide range of Arab and international thinkers through reading their books. He has an extensive library of publications in several languages.
His Majesty’s hobbies provide refreshment and a healthy vent that enhances his mental and physical activities. In the following lines we shall enter the private world of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, as personally related in a number of press interviews.
He was first put on the back of a horse when he was just four. Since then, he has loved riding horses. However, in recent times, because of my commitments, he has not been able to dedicate much time, but this hobby is still dear to his heart. Shooting also is one of his favourite hobbies. That may have something to do with the military training he received. He likes trying new weapons: rifles, machine guns and tank cannons, etc. However, pistol and gun shooting remain my favourites. There are other hobbies such as walking, which he has enjoyed since he was young. He finds comfort in walking before going to bed. Walking on the sea shore is a great exercise for the body and provides you with a chance to think. His favourite hobbies include astronomy and planet watching. He also likes photography and painting landscapes. However, current circumstances and a busy schedule do not allow him to practice these hobbies nowadays. Although reading is a hobby, it has become a part of my job. It became difficult for him to find time to read books as a hobby; I now mostly read about his job and everyday life. He spends part of his valuable time with horses, and believes that horses are signs of good omen.
As a result of a his personal initiative the regional version of encyclopedia project started in October 1985.The new encyclopedia is a result of extensive research carried out by more than 150 researchers from various Arab countries in many scientific fields. That comprised a wide range of linguistic, social, historical, political, literary researches that focused on nearly 7 million Arabic names by using the latest scientific and statistical methods. The Omani project is a historic scoop that fills a vacuum in the Arab library. It also provided a model for outstanding cooperation among dozens of researchers in various fields who came from all around the Arab world. The material of encyclopedia was collected from 12 Arab countries by a team of experts in linguistic and social sciences, namely the Sultanate of Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar. The encyclopedia is divided into two parts:
Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation is the first Arab award awarded at the global level in the field of environmental protection. Thanks to His Majesty’s initiative and the UNESCO’s approval, this award was established in 1989. The Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation is awarded every two years through UNESCO’s (MAB) programme in recognition of outstanding contributions of individuals, groups, institutions and organizations in the field of environmental protection, in line with UNESCO’s policy and programmes in this area.