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AMMAN — Manal Deeb, a Palestinian-American visual artist who was born in Ramallah and moved to the US to study fine arts, explores Palestinian identity, women’s empowerment and the experiences of exiles in her artwork.

“Jordan is my second home. I usually go to Palestine through Jordan and I have my husband’s family there,” she said in a recent interview with The Jordan Times.

In 2017, she exhibited her work at the National Gallery of Fine Arts in Amman as part of the group exhibition titled “I AM” involving 31 contemporary women artists from 12 countries in the region.

According to Deeb’s website, personality extends “beyond present existence” to what is in the past and the artist’s mission is to preserve her Palestinian identity moved by a “desire for happiness”.

Deeb has presented her work in solo and group exhibits with her original paintings and digital art in cities across the United States and Europe as well as in the Middle East. In the US, her work is displayed in two museums that focus on Palestinian heritage, one in Connecticut and one in Washington, DC.

Deeb’s career highlights include recognition as an Arab Woman of the Year by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in 2013, and exhibiting thirty works of art representing Palestine at the UN Visitors Centre in New York City in 2012 and 2013. She has also published a book titled “Dome of the Soul” in Arabic, in collaboration with a Palestinian poet, which merges poetry and images of her artwork.

“I love poetry. It affects me so much,” the artist said.

“I always see Palestine and freedom on my colour palette. I have worked towards making images that I have always known, images I knew as a child. These images come from my inner truth,” Deeb said.

Her art often touches on the “traumatic” Palestinian history and she believes that art is a better tool than military solutions “because art is an emotional force and a powerful means of communication”, she explained.

When asked about her experience of exile, Deeb said that she paints “home away from home”, continuously celebrating her Palestinian identity.

“Exile ignites creativity. Creativity is similar to dream-time. I can be working on a piece of art for weeks and weeks and yet something can transpire in only an hour, just as the last five minutes of dream-time can process something epic. Yet one needed the entire night of sleep,” she said.

The artist also touched on a political message in her work:  That to live in this world, “we need love” and that there are people misled by Islamophobia or Arab phobia.

“I am a Muslim Arab female presenting the beauty of my identity, soul, language, culture and religion,” she concluded.

AMMAN — UNESCO’s Executive Board has unanimously endorsed a draft resolution on the city of Jerusalem and its walls during its 207th session, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sufian Qudah said on Wednesday.

Qudah underlined the importance of the decision, which was the result of Jordanian diplomatic efforts, in coordination with Palestine and UNESCO’s Arab and Muslim groups, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. 

The decision affirms all previous gains that have been stipulated in the Jerusalem file, he added. 

Qudah highlighted that the resolution and its appendix stress all the components of Jordan’s stance on the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls, including Muslim and Christian holy sites, noting that it also reiterates rejection of all Israeli violations and unilateral measures at these locations. 

The resolution calls on Israel to halt all illegal unilateral procedures and violations against Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif and in the Old City, Qudah said.

“The appendix reiterates the invalidity of all Israeli measures that seek to alter the identity of the Holy City and serves as a reminder of the 16 UNESCO decisions on Jerusalem, all of which deplore Israel’s failure, as an occupying force, to halt the digging and building of tunnels among other illegal acts in East Jerusalem,” Qudah highlighted. 

The ministry spokesperson said the resolution demanded the “swift appointment” of a permanent UNESCO representative to Jerusalem’s Old City to monitor all actions taken within the organisation’s scope. 

Qudah noted that the resolution urges the dispatch of an “interactive monitoring mission” from UNESCO to Jerusalem to keep track of all violations made by the occupation’s forces. 

The Jordanian charge d’affaires to Paris said that East Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian territory, holding Israel accountable for maintaining its historical and legal status quo. 

He added that under Hashemite Custodianship, Jordan will continue to play its role in protecting the Holy City’s Muslim and Christian sites.

AMMAN — TechStars Hub71, in cooperation with the ICT Association of Jordan (Intaj), has held a dialogue session to familiarise  Jordanian startups with the Techstars Hub71 Accelerator Programme.

 Scheduled to launch in Abu Dhabi during the first quarter of 2020, Techstars Hub71 Accelerator Programme offers 10 successful start-ups Arab accelerators' highest level of funding at  $120,000, according to an Intaj statement on Wednesday. 

Techstars Hub71 Accelerator Programme was designed to help startups improve their products in various fields, gain access to customers and receive training, Programme Manager Dania Shahin said in the statement.   

Besides providing funding for startups that are successful in their application, the programme aims to “put successful startups in the fast lane” by accelerating their business models, as well as conveying their ideas to global investors, she added, noting that the Techstars Hub71 is a mentorship-driven accelerator programme.

Expressing trust in Jordanian startups, Vijay Tirathrai, Techstars Hub71 Accelerator managing director, said: “We came to Jordan to meet the largest number of Jordanian companies that have regional growth potential.”

Tirathrai also lauded cooperation among influencers, investors and startups aimed at introducing local entrepreneurs on the global stage, according to the statement.

CEO of INTAJ Nidal Bitar said that the dialogue session falls within the 1000 Entrepreneurs National Initiative, adding that it is part of Intaj's endeavors to create local and global business connections, the statement said.   

AMMAN — Bedouins from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the Occupied Palestinian Territories will gather in Wadi Rum on October 19 with the aim of safeguarding bedouin culture and heritage against threats posed by conflicts, marginalisation and displacement.

The gathering is part of a wider project called Cultural Corridors of Peace. The project supports the bedouin in documenting, sharing and safeguarding their “living memory and intangible cultural heritage”, according to a statement from the project organisers.

By doing so, the project aims to help bedouin communities tackle prejudice and discrimination, promote their culture and identity and raise awareness about the value of their communities, traditions and ways of life, the statement said.

At the three-day gathering, bedouins will celebrate their shared heritage through activities such as erecting a bedouin tent, preparing traditional food and coffee, practicing crafts, exchanging music, songs, stories and poems and exploring the use of natural resources for survival in the desert.

Hospitality, identity, customary law and the role of women in bedouin societies are just a few of the topics that will be discussed at the gathering. Knowledge of the historic routes that bedouins followed across the region will be shared as well as their experiences of changes brought about by sedentarisation.

HRH Prince Hassan will receive the participants at the historic site of Humeima to " offer a platform to hear bedouin voices from the Levant and share insights on the issues faced in safeguarding their heritage", the statement said.

“This project is a unique opportunity to address the needs of the bedouin, whose identity and livelihoods have been historically suppressed by the geopolitical decisions of others. We want to enable the bedouin to voice who they are and the future they seek for their children. We wish to reconnect older and younger generations, reconnect families across the borders with Syria and beyond, and work for social justice and equal rights for these communities,” director of the project Aphrodite Sorotou was quoted in the statement as saying.

The event will be documented and filmed. This material will be added to an online Open Access Archive of bedouin cultural heritage, which will be accessible to anyone hoping to learn more about this culture. The material will also be used in an exhibition in Beirut, Lebanon in December 2019, the statement noted.

AMMAN — The second Jordanian Dates Festival kicked off on Wednesday, displaying a variety of Jordan-grown dates and promoting palm cultivation in the Kingdom. 

Supported by the United Arab Emirates in cooperation with the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the festival, which ends on Friday, was attended by 19 ambassadors to the Kingdom and 25 foreign delegations.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Ibrahim Shahahdeh stressed at the launch that the date palm in Jordan is “one of the most promising and economically impacting crops”.

He added: “Jordan has not traditionally planted palm trees, but recent developments have expanded the cultivation of distinctive varieties of palm trees such as Majdool and Bahri. This makes the sector’s potential very promising, given the demand for those two Jordanian varieties and the high prices they are sold for.”

The number of palms in the Kingdom amounts to nearly half a million, according to statistics presented at the launch.

Palm cultivation is now considered “a priority” in Jordan because they are grown in marginal areas of deserts and are characterised by their ability to tolerate water that is not suitable for traditional crops, in addition to their economic feasibility and high yield, said ministry Spokesperson Lawrence Majali.  

He told The Jordan Times that some types of Jordanian dates, characterised as “big, long, and heavy”, are sold by the piece and can reach up to $3 per date in countries such as Holland. 

It was also announced at the event that 15 of the world's largest date buyers have confirmed partnerships with Jordanian producers and exporters at the festival.

International experts and specialists in the research of challenges, diseases, marketing issues and value chain developments for date cultivation participated in a scientific convention at the festival. 

Ahmed Ali Mohammed Baloch, ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Jordan, said in his speech that “date palm development in our countries has a special agricultural value and is considered an economic priority, as it increases food security while taking advantage of minimal natural resources”.

AMMAN — The Chinese embassy and Al Rai Centre for Studies and Training on Wednesday held a seminar celebrating the achievements of the country and the deep-rooted Jordanian-Chinese relations.

The event, titled "Seminar for the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China", was held in Amman. The seminar was attended by the centre's Director Khaled Shogran, Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Pan Weifang, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Director for Asia and the Pacific Malek Twal, President of the Jordanian-Chinese Friendship Committee Senator Ziad Homsi and senior Jordanian and Chinese officials. 

Shogran commended China's growth on all fronts — economic, political and industrial — as it has become “one of the leading powers in the world”. He also voiced appreciation for China's “constant support” to Arab causes, particularly the Palestinian cause.  

For his part, Weifang said that on the 70th anniversary, the State Council Information Office of China published a white book titled "China and the World in the New Era", which highlights the changes that have taken place in the country over the past 70 years under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. 

The Palestinian cause is a pivotal case in the Middle East, and resolving it will end the tensions in the region, with the two-state solution being the only solution, he said, stressing the importance of the international community’s commitment to the related UN resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and all affiliated efforts for the cause.

The envoy noted that China supports all peaceful processes in the region.

China supports Palestinians’ right to establish an independent state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, he said. 

China is calling for new development concepts, such as innovation, “openness” and green energy, as a means to “continue discovering the future”, Weifang said, noting that China developed its economy within a few decades to a volume that took other advanced countries hundreds of years. 

"The gross domestic product (GDP) of China upon its establishment was $30 billion and in 2018 it reached $13.6 trillion, ranking second in the world, with the GDP per capita growing from $70 to $9,470, freeing 1.4 billion people from poverty and granting them a better and more decent life," the ambassador said. 

Jordanian-Chinese diplomatic relations go back to 1977, and ever since, the two countries have regarded each other as “close and trustworthy friends”, Weifang said, adding that His Majesty King Abdullah has visited China eight times since his assumption of constitutional powers.

He added that in 2020, the ninth ministerial meeting, which is part of the Jordan-China Cooperation Forum, will be held in Amman, marking “another historical event in Jordanian-Chinese history”. 

"China has become the third-largest trade partner of Jordan and the second-largest source of imports, with the bilateral trade volume reaching $3.184 billion in 2018...," Weifang said, adding that China’s exports to Jordan totalled $2.97 billion and imports reached $214 million, with potash among the major imports. 

The ambassador said that the Attarat Oil Shale Power Plant, which China helped to fund and construct, is expected to start operations next year, meeting 10 to 15 per cent of Jordan's electricity needs.

He also noted that this November, Jordan will participate for the first time as a guest of honour in the second edition of the China International Imports Expo. 

Negotiations are ongoing between the two countries to implement several projects, including the expansion and rehabilitation of the Salt road, projects related to water and food sectors and the CCTV project for police, in addition to a data centre and HR training workshops.

"Huawei also signed a memorandum of understanding with Jordan, under which three academies for the company will be constructed in cooperation with three universities to provide advanced education in the ICT sector for around 3,000 students and public sector employees," Weifang said. 

Twal in his speech commended China's rapid growth over a short span of time and its comprehensive growth in all fields, highlighting the trade volume and projects ongoing between the two countries, especially the importance of the Huwaei MoU and the Attarat Oil Shale project.

AMMAM — The Lower House’s Palestine Committee on Wednesday underlined the deep-rooted Jordan-Kuwait relations, voicing keenness on enhancing them in all fields.

During a meeting with Kuwait’s Ambassador to Jordan Aziz Dehani, head of the panel Yahya Saud voiced appreciation for Kuwait’s support to Jordan and the Palestinian cause, commending the Gulf state’s financial assistance to UNRWA.

The MP said that any attempt to undermine Jordanian-Kuwaiti relations “will always end in failure”, adding that the chants raised during the recent football match between Jordan and Kuwait “merely represent” a small group of individuals.

Dehani also said that the chants will not have an impact on the strong bond between the two countries. 

AMMAN — The Ministry of Labour on Wednesday announced the signing of 186 contracts for Jordanian healthcare professionals in Qatar.

In a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the ministry said that 35 jobseekers have also been recruited to work as car electricians in the UAE.

Labour Ministry Spokesperson Mohammed Khatib said the ministry announced last week the start of interviews to appoint 200 jobseekers from various healthcare specialisations to work in Qatar, in addition to procedures that would see the appointment of 50 jobseekers in the UAE’s automobile sector, as part of the first phase of the ministry’s plan. 

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania visited the Women of Al Balqa’s Himmeh Charity Association on Wednesday, where she learned about its economic empowerment programmes for women in the area.

Her Majesty met with the association’s president, Hanan Odeh, and its board members, who briefed the Queen on the association’s mission and future plans, according to a statement from Her Majesty’s office.

She also toured the facilities, stopping at the association’s sewing workshop to meet with a number of employees and beneficiaries.

Established in 2010, the association strives to build local women’s capacities, provide them with work opportunities, and help them market their products locally and abroad. It also provides financial assistance to families in need, the statement said.

AMMAN — Regional crises and illicit trafficking necessitated a large archaeological inventory for Jordanian museums, said a German archaelogist.

The joint project between the Department of Antiquity (DoA) and the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology (GPIA) was established in January 2017, said Jutta Häser on Sunday at a workshop titled “Documentation of Objects in Jordanian Archaeological Museums” (DOJAM) held on the DoA premises.

“The aim of this four-year project is the protection and management of archaeological objects, stored and displayed in the DoA museums,” said Häser, who is a project manager of DOJAM. 

Häser said the most important tasks of the project are building the database for the museum, registering and documenting archaeological finds, photographing each object, three-dimensional digitising of selective objects, conserving endangered archaeological objects, managing museum facilities and training the DoA staff.

The Jordan Archaeological Museum at Amman Citadel will serve as a pilot model, Häser continued, noting that it was the national museum from 1951 until The Jordan Museum was established in 2013.

Due to its large collections of artefacts, the Jordan Archaeological Museum is suitable for the pilot project, she added, highlighting that there are 1,500 objects on display and several thousand stored.

The workshop on Monday included a detailed presentation of the database for the preservation and handling of the rich Jordanian cultural heritage, she stressed.

Bernard Beitz, the DOJAM programmer, talked briefly about usability, maintainability and the comparison between application and key components.

The team organised a research engine about each archaelogical site and the artefacts in the museum’s collection, which needed “more sophisticated and detailed” documentation, Häser said.

Such an engine can be very useful not only for researchers and academics, but also ordinary lovers of cultural heritage, the project manager noted.