The spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture, Salem Al-Faqir, said that the “Al-Mamlaka” project was launched in response to the directives and vision of His Royal Highness Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, Crown Prince.
Al-Faqir told Al-Mamlaka that the project focuses on documenting the Jordanian narrative rather than merely recording it, stressing that there is an important distinction between the two concepts.
He explained that the project emerged from an urgent need under current circumstances, alongside the necessity for cultural references that shed light on Jordan—its land and its people—and aim to deeply explore Jordan’s historical continuity across all eras.
In response to the question, “What do we seek from documenting the Jordanian narrative?”, Al-Faqir said that Jordanian culture needs solid historical foundations—culturally, politically, economically, and socially—in order to present Jordan authentically to future generations and to the world.
The project aims to document the history of Jordanian land and the people who lived on it across a continuous timeline extending more than 2.5 million years, up to the establishment of the modern Jordanian state, within a reliable scientific and academic framework.
The project is based on the findings of specialized archaeological missions that have confirmed early human activity in Jordan. Surveys and excavations conducted in the Al-Sukhnah area in northern Jordan uncovered flint tools dating back approximately 2.5 million years. These findings were dated using basalt geological layers and modern laboratory techniques, providing scientific evidence that Jordan is among the oldest regions of human settlement in the world.
The launch of the Jordanian Narrative responds to a national and knowledge-based need to present an integrated and coherent account of Jordan’s history, بعيداً عن partial or reductionist approaches. It reflects the depth of the civilizational experience on this land and affirms that Jordan is not the product of a recent political phase, but rather the result of continuous human and civilizational accumulation across the ages.
The Jordanian Narrative covers the various historical periods experienced by Jordanian territory, beginning with the Stone Ages, passing through ancient kingdoms such as Ammon, Moab, and Edom, the Nabataean era with Petra as a regional commercial hub, followed by the Roman and Byzantine periods, the Islamic conquest and Umayyad era, and the Ottoman period, leading to the formation of the Emirate of Transjordan and the modern Jordanian state. The narrative also highlights Jordan’s geographical role as a link between the civilizations of East and West.
The Ministry of Culture oversees the implementation of the project through an organizational structure that includes specialized scientific committees in archaeology, history, geography, and geology. These committees operate under a rigorous scientific methodology based on archaeological excavation results, reliable historical sources, and carefully verified oral histories to ensure accuracy and objectivity in the final content.
Those overseeing the project have been keen to draft the narrative texts in clear and accessible language that maintains scientific accuracy without complexity, aiming to bring history closer to all segments of society and transform it from static knowledge into a living, engaging experience. The outputs of the narrative will also be utilized in the production of media, cultural, and documentary works using modern technologies and platforms.
The Jordanian Narrative will be made available to the public through a dedicated interactive digital platform, allowing Jordanians to participate in documenting stories and experiences from local history and heritage. In addition, national dialogues and knowledge-based events will be organized across the Kingdom’s governorates to ensure broad community participation, particularly among youth.
The Jordanian Narrative project aims to become an officially recognized national reference for researchers, educational institutions, and media organizations, a source for strengthening awareness of national identity, reinforcing a sense of belonging, and presenting an accurate and reliable image of Jordan and its history to the world—enhancing its cultural and civilizational standing at both regional and international levels.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the platform “Stories from Jordan” (www.jordanianstories.jo) will be launched in cooperation with the Jordanian Royal Heritage Administration at the Royal Hashemite Court, to enhance Jordanians’ participation in documenting and enriching this narrative by sharing stories and experiences from Jordanian history and heritage.
— Al-Mamlaka
