Largest ever festival planned to mark Great Arab Revolt centennial

AMMAN — In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Great Arab Revolt and a century of progress, Amman is set to see the “largest” carnival scheduled to take place in the first week of June, according to organisers. 

The Great Arab Revolt Centennial Celebrations’ Higher Executive Committee has slated Al Nahda Festival for June 3, marking 100 years since the Revolt.

The Great Arab Revolt began on June 5, 1916 and was declared by Sharif Hussein Bin Ali on June 8 seeking independence from the Ottoman rule in the region, which resulted in creating a unified Arab army from Aleppo to Aden.

The event, starting at 10:00am and continuing until 8:30pm, will include several activities and artistic performances at Al Hussein Public Parks in Amman, with a number of Jordanian artists performing, the committee said.

A committee member said the area from the King Hussein Business Park to Khalda Circle will be dedicated to pedestrians on the day of the festival.

“The activities in the event will tell the storyline of Jordan, with several entities representing the country’s colours,” he told The Jordan Times.

Two air shows will take place during the festivity, where the Royal Falcons, F16s, and a heritage aircraft will participate in celebrating the centennial.

Other activities include musical performances, bubble soccer and bungee jumping, according to the panel. 

The festival is to show the “colourful mosaic of the Jordanian success story”, the committee said, including foreigners and expats living in the Kingdom who contributed to Jordan’s success. 

Tourists arriving to Amman before the scheduled date will also receive a brochure on the festival from the Jordan Tourism Board’s booth at the airport, to celebrate the centennial of the Revolt.

Prior to the event, from May 23 to June 3, a 3D-mapping system will be displayed on several buildings in the capital to show videos and photos that narrate “the story of the centennial in a Jordanian context”.

The buildings targeted include: Rotana Hotel in Abdali area, Le Royal Hotel near the Third Circle and the main entrance of the Greater Amman Municipality building.

“It will highlight the things that define us as a successful, youthful, modern Jordan,” the source said.

The mapping system will tell the success story of Jordan over 100 years, showing some iconic buildings, Islamic architecture, the story of JTV and cultural icons, including works of the singers Samira Tawfiq and Tawfiq Nimri.

“The photos and videos presented are for the people to identify with. To remind them how the country was built, stone on stone,” the committee said.