Sohar students visit Aussie university- The Sohar University students came back after attending the World Press Freedom Day at the University of Queensland. Each year, the United Nations recognises and highlights the role of the free press and journalism in the defence of democracy and freedom of expression through the holding of an officially designated World Press Freedom Day.

The World Press Freedom Day is held on May 3 every year and is coordinated by Unesco (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation).
This was the first time for Australia and the broader Pacific region and the theme for the conference was ‘Freedom of Information, The Right to Know.’ Professor Michael Bromley invited five Sohar University students, Sumaya al Nabhani, Fakhriya al Bahrani, Kawkab al Balushi, Mahmood al Hamhami and Mahmood al Mamari. It was the first time for students to travel overseas. They were accompanied by a former foreign correspondent and now lecturer at Sohar University, Sonia Ambrosio de Nelson. The group arrived Brisbane on May 1 and they were welcomed by Professor Michael Bromely.
The students spent the first two days in Brisbane, exploring the city and they took the chance also to visit The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. On May 3 the conference started at the University of Queensland. This conference gave Sohar University students a chance to learn more about the rights of journalists. After the conference, the students joined two courses. The first one was a photography course and second one was on radio shows. Kawkab al Balushi, one of the students, talked about her experience. The University of Queensland is 100 years old and it has modern facilities.
“I learned a lot through this experience, such as how to be independent and confident. In addition, I got the chance to experience how it feels to attend a conference and learn from other people’s experience. Further, I learned how to use the camera and gain a photographer’s skills. Lastly, I learned leadership as well as the presentation skills through different courses.”
Mahmood al Hamhami, a level four student said: “This trip taught me a lot of things from different situations, such as accepting people as they are, see and take things more positively so that we can develop and change what need to be changed. And instead of focusing on the negative side of things, we have to think how to change it and how to benefit from it.”