Conclusion of UNESCO and EU Initiative Empowering Syrian Refugees and Host Communities through Cultural Conservation

Under the patronage of H.E. Mr. Makram Queisi, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and with the support of the European Union, Friends of Jordan Festivals, and UNESCO Jordan Office, organized an event in Pella and Beit Eidis, Irbid Governorate, to mark the successful conclusion of an initiative aimed at providing dignified and sustainable livelihoods to Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities.

The event held on May 31, 2024, and attended by representatives from UNESCO, the European Union, public authorities, diplomatic community, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and local communities, served as a platform to mark the completion of the “Support to Livelihoods Through Cultural Heritage Development” project, which was funded by the European Union under the umbrella of the Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (Madad).

Under this initiative, UNESCO, with support of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Department of Antiquities (DOA), implemented rehabilitation and maintenance works on six archaeological sites located in the Irbid and Mafraq governorates. The initiative aims to preserve Jordan’s rich cultural heritage while creating short-term employment opportunities for 1,305 people, who are amongst the most vulnerable members of the local communities and Syrian refugees. The interventions carried out addressed various aspects of conservation and maintenance works, such as general cleaning, consolidation, stabilization and limited reconstruction of walls, preservation of mosaics, implementation of safety and accessibility measures, and maintenance of tourist trails.

The Jordanian Department of Antiquities played a pivotal role in the successful implementation of the project, offering accessibility to the sites, and ensuring overall supervision of the works as well as technical support throughout their whole duration. His Excellency Professor Fadi Bala’awi, Director General of the DOA, recognized the invaluable contribution of this initiative in preserving and promoting Jordan’s rich cultural heritage, through efforts that have not only conserved the country’s historical sites, but also created sustainable livelihood opportunities for vulnerable members of the community.

During the visit, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation and Head of Political, Press and Information Section, Angela Martini, said: “Today, we have seen the lasting impact of one of our joint projects that contributed for 4 years to unearthing and developing some of Jordan’s rich cultural heritage. The EU has been a proud donor of this project, which aimed to provide access to dignifying employment opportunities for Syrians and Jordanians and, more broadly, create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship in the cultural heritage sector.”

UNESCO Jordan Officer in Charge, Mrs. Marina Patrier, stated: “By utilizing culture as a resilience-building tool and applying Employment Intensive initiatives to the rehabilitation of Cultural Heritage sites, this innovative project provided short-terms economic opportunities to a total of 1,305 beneficiaries, Jordanians and Syrians, distributed between six sites in Northern Jordan, including Pella and Beit Eidis. It also promoted greater community engagement in the preservation of the heritage sites in Jordan, empowering individuals from local communities to participate in safeguarding and transmitting their own cultural heritage”.

Those who participated in the event enjoyed a guided visit of the two archaeological sites of Pella and Beit Eidis, where they managed to discover local crafts and cuisine. They also attended a concert of Arabic classical music performed at the Pella site by the Jordanian artists Humam Eid, Issam Elayyan, Awwad Awwad, and Natali Al-Samaan.

As the curtains close on this project, UNESCO, the European Union and its partners reaffirm their commitment to continuing efforts to harness the potential of culture for sustainable development and peacebuilding in the region. By investing in the preservation of cultural heritage and engaging communities as active stakeholders, these initiatives aim to create a future where cultural diversity is celebrated, while fostering increased community involvement.