UNESCO Jordan celebrates 50 Years of World Heritage Convention with Photo Exhibition

Amman - A 5-day photo exhibition entitled “50 Years of World Heritage Convention – Protecting the Past for Now and Future,” organized by UNESCO and the Department of Antiquities, opened at the Jordan Museum on Monday under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Dana Firas, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Cultural Heritage, and in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Jordan Tourism Board.

The exhibition is organized to mark the 50th anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention which seeks to identify, protect and conserve cultural and natural heritage sites around the world which are considered to have outstanding value to humanity. The Convention, which has been ratified by 194 states, including Jordan, makes it one of the most widely recognised international agreements.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition took place on Monday, 21 November, in the presence of government officials, Ambassadors, representatives of international organizations, and members of the Jordanian public.

"It is really important to understand how valuable the World Heritage Convention has been, not only for the international community, but for us here in Jordan," said Her Royal Highness Princess Dana Firas, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Cultural Heritage

Emphasizing the value of conserving Jordan’s rich cultural heritage. She also pointed to the link between world heritage and tourism, explaining the importance of preserving these sites for the well-being of the nation.

Director-General of the Department of Antiquities His Excellency Professor Fadi Bala’awi highlighted how the Convention can help strengthen the conservation of Jordan’s heritage sites. “Jordan has always been a gateway to civilisations and cultures, with its rich archaeological sites and monuments that spread over its entire area, particularly, the six World Heritage in sites in Jordan, which are a testimony to the efficacy of cultural heritage at local, national and global scales”, he mentioned.

"The aim of the exhibition is to highlight the six wonderful and fascinating World Heritage sites of Jordan and to raise awareness on the need to protect them as well as the thousands of other heritage sites in the country not only for the present but future generations," said UNESCO Representative to Jordan Ms. Min Jeong Kim

Curated by Linda Al Khoury, Founder of Darat Al Tasweer, the exhibition showcases the six World Heritage Sites in Jordan – Petra, Wadi Rum, Um Al Rasas (Kastrom Mefa’a), Quseir Amra, Baptism Site Bethany Beyond the Jordan (al-Maghtas) and Al Salt – and includes rare old photographs from the archives of the Department of Antiquities and École biblique et archéologigue française de Jérusalem.

The launch was followed by the awarding ceremony for UNESCO Jordan’s online photo competition. Among numerous submissions received from all over the country, the final 5 winners were selected by the public through a social media campaign. This competition was organised to increase local awareness surrounding cultural preservation and, ultimately, to instill a sense of pride in the hearts of Jordanian youth towards their local heritage and traditions.

The photo exhibition remains open to the public until 26 November during the regular opening hours of the Jordan.

View the photo catalog here.