Amman (June 20, 2019) – The International Council on Monuments and Sites-Jordan (ICOMOS-Jordan) officially launched its activities on Thursday evening (June 6, 2019) with a celebration at the Jordan Museum in Amman. ICOMOS is a global non-governmental organization that works for the conservation and protection of heritage places. The mission of ICOMOS is to preserve the archaeological sites and monuments in world, improve the management of these sites according to international standards, support income-generating projects for local communities and raise awareness on the value of the Jordanian cultural heritage.

Under the patronage of the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities H.E. Majd Shweikeh, members of Jordan’s heritage community gathered together to celebrate the establishment of this council as a positive step for the development and management of the Kingdom’s heritage resources. In recent years, Jordan’s rich diversity of heritage sites, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites Petra and Wadi Rum, has served as a key driver for the country’s growing tourism sector. Supporting the management of these key resources is not only vital for the preservation of heritage for generations to come, but can also benefit local communities as well as the national economy.

At the Thursday launch event, HRH Princess Dana Firas, President of ICOMOS-Jordan, conveyed her passion for the organization’s mission, and her conviction that its activities will be a significant positive contribution to Jordan’s heritage field.
H.E. Majd Shweikeh spoke about the crucial role that ICOMOS-Jordan will play in the development of Jordan’s heritage management, noting the importance of this sector to national identity as well as the economic growth of the country.

Dr. Barbara Porter, Director of ACOR, also gave remarks, noting the importance of organizations like ICOMOS for the advancement of heritage management in Jordan. ACOR’s USAID Sustainable Cultural Heritage Through Engaging Local Communities Project (SCHEP) is currently the principal supporter of ICOMOS-Jordan, after a partnership between the two entities was formalized in May 2019.

Mr. Yazid Elayan, Acting Director General of the Department of Antiquities, emphasized the benefit of associations like ICOMOS-Jordan to the country’s heritage sector, noting that the Department welcomes the establishment of this association and looks forward to their contributions.

Dr. Fadi Bala’awi, ICOMOS Vice President, presented introducing attendees to ICOMOS’ work worldwide and its current and future role in Jordan specifically.

The event concluded with a press conference by ICOMOS-Jordan board members, headed by HRH Princess Dana Firas, framed around audience questions about the Association’s aims, membership guidelines, and future activities.

In coming months, ICOMOS-Jordan will engage its members in future activities and will work on growing its membership base and to bring together many voices to discuss the current state of Jordan’s cultural heritage resources and strategies for their future management.