Every now
again, it’s nice to swap the sweatpants and regular party fare for a bit of
decadence and luxury. And what better
way to manage it, but set up your very own Masquerade ball. This year, the
Women’s Guild in Oman ( WGO) and the Oman Cancer Association( OCA ) are all set
to give you a fabulous Crystal Ball which has Masquerade as its theme. Not only
will you have a fabulous evening on the 12th of December, but you
will also have the satisfaction of knowing that the money you spend on
purchasing a ticket will be put to the best possible use, as all funds raised
during this ball will be presented to the OCA.
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| Pic Courtesy- WGO |
As a WGO Committee member since 2008, I'm very proud to be associated with a Women's organisation that does so much to help newcomers settle down in a foreign country, then sets up long lasting friendships in addition to raising funds for causes which merit them within Oman.
Dating back
to the 14th and 15th centuries, the Masquerade Ball began as part of Europe’s
carnival season. Less high society and more cirque du célébration, villagers
would gather in masks and costumes to take part in elaborate pageants and
glamorous processions. Quickly spreading across France like wildfire, some of
the most notorious balls of the day would be held to celebrate Royal Entries:
the grand occasion of welcoming kings and queens into their cities. A standard
item of masquerade dress was a "Vandyke", improvised on the costumes
worn in the portraits of Van
Dyck: Gainsborough's Blue Boy is the most familiar example, and a reminder of the later
18th-century popularity in England for portraits in fancy dress. Masquerade
balls were extended into costumed public festivities in Italy during the 16th century Renaissance (Italian,maschera). They were generally elaborate
dances held for members of the upper classes, and were particularly popular in Venice. They have been associated with the tradition of the Venetian Carnival.
With the fall of the Venetian Republic at the end of the 18th century, the use
and tradition of masks gradually began to decline, until they disappeared
altogether.
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| A Masquerade Ball with an Italian Twist ( Pic courtesy, Internet) |
The Oman
Cancer Association’s objective is to create public awareness for all types of
cancers, through community based programmes. The concept of self examination
and early detection is the key to early diagnosis and this is also the focus area
of the OCA.The OCA works hand in hand with health care providers in the field
of cancer management as a patient support group. The Association is also
working with decision makers to highlight the patients perspective and supports
continuous medical education and assists in research. Most importantly, it
raises funds to support the associations programmes and work closely with other
patient advocacy groups- locally as well as internationally.
The WGO’s mission is to
“offer fellowship, an opportunity for women to meet each other, to enjoy a
varied program of speakers and events, and to raise funds for charitable
purposes”. At the first meeting, 13 women
met at the home of Hilda Staal, including Eloise Bosch who still lives here in
Muscat and is a WGO member to this day. The
first bazaar and fundraiser, raised 700 OMR. Since then the organisation has
flourished and the membership of 2013/14 reached almost 2,000 members with
around 24,000 OMR donated to local
charities. The WGO’s members and business
partners, as well as other prominent organisations in Oman contribute hugely to
the success of the WGO. It is through their on-going patronage that the WGO is
able to consistently donate significant funds to various charities, and help
those less fortunate than others.
Looking forward to seeing you at the Masquerade Crystal Ball on Friday 12th
December.
