iHeritage project meeting kicks off in Amman

AMMAN — The fourth meeting of the steering committee of the ICT Mediterranean platform for UNESCO cultural heritage (iHeritage) project kicked off in Amman on Monday.

The event featured the participation of representatives from Italy, Spain, Egypt, Portugal, Lebanon and Jordan. 

The EU-funded programme aims to help promote tourism in participating countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The programme also digitally promotes archaeological sites and creates employment opportunities. 

Director General of the Department of Antiquities Fadi Balawi, during the opening session, said that the tourism industry in Jordan sustains around 55,000 jobs, adding that tourism contributes 13 per cent of the GDP directly and 30 per cent indirectly. 

He also emphasised the project’s significance in promoting Petra, the red-rose city in Jordan. 

The agenda of the three-day meetings includes discussions on the project’s achievements and plans for the next phase, as well as the budget, recommendations and barriers that could hinder the project. 

Rosalia Giambrone, a representative from the Tourism Observatory of the Sicilian Tourism Department, commended the project’s accomplishments over the previous phase, expressing hope that further achievements will be made in the next phase through enhancing networking and cooperation among all partners.