Facing Change: Jordan 2024

How heritage and hope came together in Jordan – a blog by Ellie Oliver, INTO Communications Manager

The INTO team arrived in Amman just after midnight on Sunday 1 December. Long months of planning with our team and our conference partners meant that we were excited to deliver a brilliant event. Being in Jordan had so much meaning – we had long held the ambition that it was important to stand with our regional members and to join with our global family in showing support.

There are many things which will stay with me for a long time after this week, but from the very beginning when we gathered at the residence of the British Ambassador to Jordan HE Philip Hall OBE, there was an electric atmosphere of unity. There was deep curiosity and respect for one another’s work, wherever in the world it may be. And there was excitement to learn, to ‘steal with pride’ and to take home knowledge and inspiration to strengthen work on tangible and intangible heritage.

L-R: Catherine Leonard, HRH Princess Dana Firas, Fiona Reynolds, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic at the British Ambassador’s residence, Amman

We were honoured to have HRH Princess Dana Firas, President of Petra National Trust and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador as our opening speaker. Her Royal Highness is such a passionate advocate for heritage in Jordan, the Middle East and the world and she not only spoke with energy and passion, but she also shared the stage with a very moving performance by Palestinian musician Hiya. Historian and broadcaster Dan Snow gave us our first conference sound bite in his inspiring presentation, ‘Protecting cultural heritage is not going to save the world, but it’s the kind of thing that makes the world worth saving.’

After a brilliant call to action from Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic, Secretary General of Europa Nostra, we heard from the ‘Withstanding Change’ project, showing how heritage and climate adaptation can go hand in hand, but how community engagement is also at the heart of the project. Dave Simpson from INTO and Emily Drani from Cultheme began with the Levantine proverb:

الجنة بدون ناس ما تنداس

Heaven without people is not worth entering

A moving performance by Palestinian artist Hiya

The high-energy morning continued into the afternoon, with breakout sessions delivered by speakers from INTO, the Cultural Protection Fund and Petra National Trust giving food for thought and practical takeaways for our delegates.

Closing our first day, Stephen Stenning, British Council Director of Culture, and Stephen Deuchar, British Council Trustee, reflected on the broad range of expertise shared, before the delegates divided for the evening. INTO members met to vote in our new Trustees and Chair, while CPF delegates visited Amman-based grantee, Turquoise Mountain.

Imogen Wood (far left) and the Lessons for a future climate panel – May al-Ibrashy, John de Coninck, Shatha Safi, Rashad Salim

Our last day together in the conference venue opened with a keynote speech from National Trust Director General Hilary McGrady. Building on the theme of unity and working with each other and our communities to achieve our aims, Hilary gave us another thoughtful take away, which really resonated with the delegates. With a murmuration of starlings filling the huge conference screen, she described how these dancing flocks require only that each bird works with the 6 around it, to evade predators, provide one of nature’s spectacles and find a safe roost. If each of us can work with 6 others, perhaps we can achieve as much.

After a presentation on the power of art from Alaa Qattam and an interactive session on youth engagement with Sofya Shahab and Ayoob Thanoon, delegates explored traditional crafts through interactive sessions. They learned to play the Shababah, a traditional musical instrument with ‘Action for Hope’, created jewellery with Hana Faouri using ancient techniques, and discovered the art of stonemasonry through hands-on demonstrations.

We ended the day on a high and on our feet – a standing ovation for Lama Abboud’s inspirational closing presentation, sharing the powerful restoration by Turathuna of the historic theatre in Homs. At the time conflict had reignited just over the border in Syria, making this moment even more impactful. The restoration of the theatre in an area reduced to rubble in the 2014 civil war, was a true story of hope and of how heritage has also restored pride and identity to the community it serves.

Hilary McGrady, Director General, National Trust

More pride and cultural heritage was on display, as we headed to the HQ of Petra National Trust (PNT) for the evening. At Bayt Yaish we were treated to demonstrations of heritage craft skills and traditional music, and we heard from the people who had benefitted from the educational and community programmes which PNT delivers so brilliantly.

After 2 days in the conference venue there followed 2 days of site visits, getting up close to amazing Jordanian heritage. We visited As Salt, UNESCO world heritage site, recognised for urban hospitality and communities living in harmony. It was indeed close to Harmony Way, As Salt’s famous street linking Orthodox and Catholic churches, along with mosques and historic houses of the local yellow stone, that we were taken to Bayt Al Jaghbeer. This restoration of an historic yellow stone house, with links to the church and intangible heritage of the city, is part of the ‘Withstanding Change’ project. Restored with climate adaptation in mind and now a community hub, it is an important case study for the project and it was inspiring for our delegates to see the transformation.

We returned to Amman via the Jordan River valley, with panoramic views. Our conference closed with a wonderful dinner – it was a delight to see so many people in National dress for the event. We were entertained by ‘Action for Hope’, who performed many traditional songs and inspired the whole room to get up on their feet!

Summing up this whole experience is not an easy task! However, I think I will use another Levantine proverb from my colleague Dave Simpson:

إذا سرقت اسرق الجمل

If you steal, steal the whole camel

Stealing with pride has a whole new meaning! I hope all of the delegates have notebooks, memories and hearts overflowing with learning and inspiration – and hope for heritage.

Thank you!

Huge thanks of course to our brilliant partners Petra National Trust and the Cultural Protection Fund of the British Council. Not to mention the delegates, hosts, expert tour guides and all those who showed us the best of Jordanian cultural heritage, kindness and hospitality.