The exhibition “Unique and Outstanding, Jordan’s World Heritage Sites” opened its doors on Thursday, 18 July 2024, at the premises of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. The opening was attended by H.E Sh. Khalifa Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage; HRH Princess Dana Firas, President of ICOMOS-Jordan, President of the National Society for the Preservation of Petra, and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Cultural Heritage; and H.E Mr. Rami Saleh Wreikat Al-Adwan, Jordanian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, along with numerous prominent cultural figures and media professionals.
This exhibition offers the public a unique opportunity to learn about the beauty and richness of World Heritage sites in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It is inspired by the book “Unique and Outstanding, Jordan’s World Heritage Sites” by HRH Princess Dana Firas and photographer Bashar Al-Tabbah. The exhibition is a collaboration between the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage and the National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS-Jordan).
On this occasion, H.E Sh. Khalifa Al Khalifa stated, “We are very pleased to open this exhibition, which, through its strong images, summarizes the beauty, uniqueness, and distinction of the heritage treasures of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.” He added, “The participation of the Regional Center in organizing the exhibition reflects our unwavering commitment to promoting awareness of the natural and cultural World Heritage sites in our Arab world, which contributes to their protection and preservation for future generations.” He thanked HRH Princess Dana Firas and photographer Al-Tabbah for the opportunity to display the content of the book in the form of an exhibition to the public in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He also thanked all contributors and workers for the success of the exhibition and praised the strong cultural relations between Bahrain and Jordan.
For her part, HRH Princess Dana Firas expressed her gratitude to ARC-WH for its continuous support of efforts to preserve Jordan’s cultural and natural heritage. She stated that Jordan’s World Heritage is part of its identity and culture, and its preservation promotes the history and civilizations that have passed through the region. She mentioned that the exhibition is a great opportunity for visitors to embark on a captivating visual journey, seeing through expressive texts and powerful images the various World Heritage sites in Jordan.
The exhibition runs until October 2024 and can be visited during the official working hours of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage. Jordan has six World Heritage sites: Petra, Quseir Amra, Um er-Rasas, Wadi Rum Protected Area, Baptismal Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas), and the city of As-Salt – The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality, all of which have Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).
It is worth noting that 1,199 sites are inscribed on the World Heritage List, distributed in 168 countries. These include 933 cultural sites, 227 natural sites, and 39 mixed sites. The Arab region includes 93 sites, most of which are cultural sites.
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