Short documentary film depicts community-based project at Petra

AMMAN — To mark the celebration of World Tourism Day 2021, annually marked on September 27, the UNESCO Amman office, along with the Amman-based film production company Dragonfly 360, have produced a short documentary film about a community-based project at Petra. 

The theme for World Tourism Day 2021 is “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”.

The film explains how risk prevention mechanisms for falling rocks have been implemented at the Petra World Heritage site, with support from 85 members of communities around Petra, according to a UNESCO statement.

The team worked throughout the months of July and August to reconstruct over 400 low walls and check dams based on ancient Nabataean principles. This will reduce the risk of falling rocks into the busy parts of the site. 

This has been a particularly challenging year for the local people in this region, most of whom have lost their usual source of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To respond to this situation and in the spirit of inclusive growth and sustainability, the project has provided employment, useful construction and landscape management skills, building resilience and local knowledge, the statement said.

The work builds on over 10 years of collaboration between the Government of Italy and the Jordanian government to manage risks of falling rocks at the World Heritage site. 

The project was funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and supported by the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority, Petra Archaeological Park and the Department of Antiquities. 

The film is available on the UNESCO Amman YouTube channel, as well as the UNESCO Amman Twitter and Facebook platforms.