Dr. Emad Hijazin, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, met at the Department of Antiquities with a delegation including representatives from the Italian Municipality of Ravenna, the University of Bologna, the Academy of Fine Arts in Ravenna, the AVSI organization, and several public and private sector partners from both Jordan and Italy. The meeting focused on the GIFT project, which aims to enhance vocational training in the tourism sector. The project is funded by Italian cooperation (AICS) in partnership with the Municipality of Ravenna and several Italian universities and institutions.
اضافة اعلان
Dr. Hijazin stated that the project holds significant potential for employment and increasing revenues in the fields of antiques, traditional crafts, and mosaics. He emphasized the importance of leveraging the tourism assets of the three municipalities: Madaba, Rehab, and Umm ar-Rasas.
He added, “These municipalities possess unique assets, including towers, churches, and caves, which can be developed into distinctive tourism products. The Makawer site represents a successful model of religious tourism.” He highlighted that Christian pilgrimage starts in Jordan and concludes in Jerusalem, making the development of the Christian pilgrimage experience in Rehab, Madaba, and Umm ar-Rasas a strategic necessity.
The project is part of efforts to strengthen Jordanian–Italian partnership in tourism, culture, and heritage. It aims to enhance vocational training and build capacity in Jordan’s tourism sector, with a focus on developing curricula related to mosaics and linking them to the labor market, as well as supporting entrepreneurship and small- and medium-sized enterprises in cultural tourism and traditional crafts.
The project will be implemented over 36 months (2025–2028) and is expected to create new job opportunities for youth and women, promote sustainable tourism development, and develop technical and professional skills that support the local economy and reinforce Jordan’s position as a distinguished regional and international tourism and cultural destination.
