The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Jordan

Abstract

In Jordan, the conservation and valorization of cultural heritage plays an important role in enhancing social cohesion and enriching understanding of the past, in that it addresses the identity and integrity of sites of cultural and historical interest, and works towards valorizing living heritage assets. The rehabilitation of artefacts and heritage sites, as well as strategies directed at the conservation of the urban fabric, also indirectly impact livelihoods within local communities. These actions result in increasingly appealing assets, which then attract potential visitors. This, in turn, allows for profitable, visitor-oriented activities that can boost the tourist industry. Such socio-economic connectivity provides a foundation upon which the quality of life of local residents can be improved. In the long term, it can lead to an increase in inclusivity, in the response capacity of women and children to vulnerability, the adaptability of investments and, ultimately, the development of sustainable tourism policies and strategies, based on changes in consumer preferences, which would work to bolster recovery.

1 Opportunities in the Tourism Sector in Jordan

Jordan’s tourism industry made up nearly 13% of the country’s GDP in 2019, bringing in 5.3 million visitors, JD 4.1 billion revenues, and over 1 million visitors to the archaeological site of Petra alone. Jordan ranked 6th among Arab countries and 64th among 117 countries in the latest “Travel and Tourism development Index (TTDI)”¹ issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the fall of 2022. The sudden rebound in international tourism, which is close to reaching pre-pandemic levels, is expected to contribute greatly to Jordan’s economic recovery alongside the service and export industries. Additionally, tourism is one the six sectors that make up the green economy (tourism, energy, agriculture, water, transport, and buildings) outlined in the strategic document “Economic Modernization Vision 2033” aimed at stimulating growth and advancing Jordan’s transition towards an environmentally sustainable economy. As of 2022, tourism-related receipts contributed JOD 4.1236 billion to the Jordanian economy, bringing in 149% of the 2022 target, 114.5% of the 2023 target and 100.6% of the 2024 target, all of which were set in the “Jordan National Tourism Strategy 2021–2025 (JNTS) 2021–2025”, marking a recovery rate of 100.4 and of 94% for the number of tourists who visited the country in 2022, both compared with 2019.

At the same time, with a population of just over 11 million in 2022,² Jordan is a country where unemployment remains consistently high (17.9% of the total labour force in 2022). As a major contributor to the Jordanian economy, tourism plays a crucial role in the government’s efforts to increase the livelihood opportunities of local communities, and its effectiveness in so doing calls for numerous interventions, such as the provision of services and infrastructure, site rehabilitation, management plans, valorisation of both tangible and intangible cultural assets, and capacity building programmes directed at local authorities. In particular, as set out in the 2021–2025 JNTS, Heritage Protection, pertaining both to the enhancement and safeguarding of sites of historical and cultural interest, is considered a fundamental element in tourism strategy, and key to the growth and development of the industry.

2 AICS Amman Development Programme in Support of Local Communities Through Cultural Heritage

In Jordan, Italian support focuses on humanitarian responses to the regional and refugee crises, and sustainable development interventions, based on the national and strategic priorities identified in the MoU of 2017–2019 and the €235 million Subsidiary Cooperation Agreement (2021–2023) undersigned in May 2021.

The safeguarding of cultural heritage and its restoration in a country that is historically and archaeologically rich, constitute a central pillar in the bilateral collaboration between Italy and Jordan. In line with the Italian Cooperation’s strategy on tangible and intangible cultural heritage protection, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) implements programs in Jordan, which focus on the relationship between culture, heritage, sustainability and tourism, as drivers for both economic growth and social empowerment.

In identifying interventions relating particularly to SDG 8.9 and SDG 11.4 in support of culture, AICS in Jordan prioritizes the valorisation of cultural assets and the safeguarding of the rich and diverse living heritage of the country to bolster cultural tourism, which is in turn a vector of productive investment expected to boost economic growth and reduce unemployment rates, especially for the most vulnerable.

Having been part of the rehabilitation and valorisation projects implemented across many of the most significant sites, Italian-funded interventions call for local communities to engage more effectively in the protection of heritage sites, through sustainable practices and the possible adoption of alternative livelihoods. Socio-cultural assets are also given significant consideration by AICS in Jordan through cooperation initiatives. The valorisation of cultural heritage traditions, the regeneration of cities, the development of sustainable tourism and the re-use of heritage buildings, all reflect the potential to enhance social capital, reinforce a feeling of belonging and ensure good conservation practices, which might then benefit both cultural heritage and the local population in the long term. Based on their skills assessment, beneficiaries among the local community are often at the receiving end of income-generating activities through Cash for Work (CfW) schemes and on-the-job capacity building, aimed at protecting the attractiveness of tourist destinations and safeguarding the historical, cultural and landscape heritage which, as a by-product, fosters prosperity and social cohesion.

In the city of Jerash, in the North of Jordan, AICS supported the establishment of a “Regional Institute for Conservation and Restoration” (RICR) in an attempt to strengthen efforts by the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) and the Department of Antiquities (DoA) to conserve and restore the city’s cultural heritage. This was done by providing specialist training in the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, in order to increase the quality and capability of the industry’s labour market. As part of the infrastructure part of the program started in 2019, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), restored the building that currently hosts the RICR, and provided the Institute with specialist equipment. In 2023, the Italian University of Roma Tre launched the two-year specialist training courses addressed to the DoA staff and to future professionals in the region, tailored to the needs and desires of the local community, while taking the assessed skills gap into account. Trainees from the community are indeed the future professionals that will learn to apply their acquired practical experience and conservation abilities to the safeguarding of cultural assets, thus forging a sense of ownership of and accountability towards their shared heritage.

Southwest of Amman lies Madaba, the “city of mosaics,” which is home to ancient ruins, churches and Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, including the Map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Mosaics constitute the town’s richest architectural heritage. To ensure preservation of such treasures, the University of Perugia, with the help of a grant from the Government of Italy through AICS, worked in collaboration with the local Department of Antiquities on the restoration of pavement mosaics and the maintenance of four archaeological sites in the city. In this case, too, the approach focused on ensuring sustainability of the restored sites, since decision-making processes and training involved local authorities and communities (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1

Local workers carrying out conservation activities on the mosaic floor located under the destroyed Church of the Prophet Elias, including replacement of the cement, consolidating the mosaic edges and mechanical cleaning. Photo Alessandra Blasi

Heading south, the program launched by AICS Amman in 2021 in the protected area of the Shobak castle, represents a best practice with regard to interventions that support local communities through the enhancement of cultural heritage areas. The two-part program is designed to heighten the resilience of people at risk of poverty among the urban and rural communities of the Shobak castle area, as well as help reduce their increased socioeconomic vulnerability following the Covid-19 pandemic. As the interruption of tourist flows has impacted the main source of livelihood in the area, the ongoing activities aim to strengthen inclusive and sustainable development, and speed up the socio-economic recovery of local communities, through the enhancement of the archaeological site and the tourist trails. The additional restoration of small units around the castle in the Al-Jaya village—for the purpose of creating soon-to-be small businesses, such as bed and breakfasts, handicraft shops and other tourist-oriented establishments—will lead to enhanced urban landscapes with the potential to generate livelihood opportunities for local communities.

Through a collaborative approach based on the involvement of local residents, local authorities, and stakeholders, the initiative led to sustainable improvements throughout the Al-Jaya village, in line with the needs and aspirations of locals, while at the same time fostering community engagement in ensuring socially inclusive urban development (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2

Community members participating in a joint assessment aimed at selecting units suitable for restoration, at the Al-Jaya village, Shobak. Photo Alessandra Blasi

Lastly, in a milestone effort by the Italian Cooperation relating to cultural heritage in Jordan, a development program was launched in 2012 in the Petra Archaeological Park (PAP), a World Heritage site since 1985 that highly contributes to Jordan’s overall tourist industry. With a total area of 264 km², Petra, the ancient capital of the Nabatean Kingdom, is also in constant demand for preservation and management interventions. Initiatives carried out in Petra in partnership with the UNESCO office in Amman aimed to reduce the risk of landslides in the Siq, the main entrance to the ancient Nabatean city of Petra, as well as to provide capacity building and employment opportunities to Jordanian and Syrian youth, centred on cultural heritage preservation and risk prevention. The latest initiative funded by Italy in Petra and completed in 2023, concerned itself with the conservation of the Royal Tombs, a complex of Nabataean monuments comprising the Palace Tomb, which was built between the 1st and the second century AD. All the program’s actions called for the participation of local communities, considered both actors and recipients of the activities. Jordanian and Syrian youth were both engaged in the preservation of the World Heritage Site and the implementation of landslide preventive measures in the Siq, through training in heritage conservation, mostly addressing graduate and undergraduate students, but also PDTRA staff training, as well as conservation and risk mitigation projects on the trails, aimed at the creation of immediate employment opportunities (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3

Survey mission of international experts to evaluate the conservation status of the Palace Tomb and assess priority of interventions, including rehabilitation of the water channel and cleaning of cisterns carried out by workers from the local communities. Photo Alessandra Blasi

Alongside the safeguarding of tangible heritage assets, AICS Amman has recently reached out to stakeholders and implementing partners on the relevance of including Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in the site management strategies. So-called “living heritage”, which encompasses folklore, spiritual beliefs, social practices, know-how and traditions, is intrinsic to local communities, while its valorisation ensures that emphasis is placed on accountability, cultural diversity and reinforcement of communities’ social identity, as it represents the immaterial heritage which is passed down from generation to generation.