Jerash Labaneh Festival quadruples number of visitors

JERASH — Thousands of visitors on Friday flocked to the northern city of Jerash, this time to explore its first Labaneh Festival.  

Among Jordanians, the city of Jerash is famous for its high quality, fresh dairy products, which are still prepared the traditional way. 

Visitors to Jerash often purchase labaneh jarashiyeh, a kind of strained yoghurt, which is a signature product of the town, 48km north of Amman.

The event was organised by Jerash Governorate in cooperation with the Women Empowerment Unit (WFU) at Jerash Municipality and the Planning and International Cooperation Ministry’s Centre for Productivity Enhancement "Iradah". 

Funded by the UAE-based CSR- Al Ahli Holding Group, the festival witnessed the participation of 70 women, who showcased their homemade food products and handcrafts.

In addition to the exhibition, the festival’s agenda included music entertainment and DJ, children activities such as treasure hunt games, clowns and magicians, a folkloric performance by a Circassian troupe, a fashion show and a performance by Jordanian singer.   

During the opening ceremony, Jerash Governor Maamoun Lozi said that the festival would be a first in a series of such events to promote other products in the city, aimed to encourage productive enterprises in the local community.

Jerash Mayor Ali Qoqazeh said in his remarks that the festival was a leap in the municipality’s development-oriented plans, noting that Jerash Municipality was the first in the Kingdom to establish a woman empowerment unit.

For her part, Lina Hourani, director of CSR, said that the event aimed to enhance sustainable development by promoting local products and encouraging locals to establish their income-generating products “rather than waiting for governmental jobs”.

Khitam Thaha, a participant expressed her delight over participating in the festival, which, she said, was a great point of sale for her products.

“I make labneh, goat cheese and butter from A to Z according to the proper traditional way without using any artificial additives,” she explained.

An Irada beneficiary, Sahla Bashiti partnered with another woman who was baking traditional bread (shrak) on-site, and was selling labaneh and cheese sandwiches to festival guests.

WEU’s coordinator Iman Qiwar announced that the municipality plans to establish a permanent showroom for local women at the entrance of the ancient city of Jerash, which will give those women a opportunity to sustain their small enterprises and be productive members of their families.

On Saturday, Director of Jerash Antiquities Ziad Ghunimat told The Jordan Times that the number of Jordanian visitors on Friday increased by 400 per cent compared to last Friday.

Some 5,000 Jordanians entered the archaeological site on Friday, where the festival was held, compared with 900 the previous Friday, according to Ghunimat.