Princess Dana highlights Jordan’s heritage at book launch

AMMAN — “Unique and Outstanding” is a bilingual book about 20 heritage sites in Jordan, created by photographer Bashar Tabbah in collaboration with HRH Princess Dana Firas and The International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) –Jordan.

“We wanted to celebrate the beauty and importance of Jordan’s cultural heritage sites and our national treasures. Of course, the book had to be beautiful, but we also wanted it to be informative. We wanted it to serve as a documentary record and source of information accessible to all,” noted Princess Dana in her opening address at ICOMOS head office on Monday.

Princess Dana highlighted the process of obtaining the world heritage listing, which is based on unique and outstanding universal values, adding that these sites are most certainly both “unique and outstanding” in so many ways.

“There is also a critical commitment to a global governance regime focusing on protection, conservation and management of these sites.” 

“Jordan has been a signatory to the world heritage convention since 1975, and we consider our participation and commitment to this international system as sacred,” Princess Dana underlined.

Since 2019, ICOMOS Jordan has worked to improve standards of heritage management and preservation, and to build the strong partnerships among local, regional and international stakeholders, Princess Dana said, adding that “this is our first publication, but one of many to come”.

“It was a great pleasure to be able to take this project. I’m very proud of my country, I’m very proud of how much we have in terms of cultural treasures and I’m proud to share…what I’ve seen in these sites with everyone,” noted author of the book Bashar Tabbah, adding that his goal was to produce a quality book, and show the international community what Jordan has to offer.

In his address to academics, diplomats and members of the ICOMOS Jordan General Assembly, director of American Centre of Research (ACOR) Pearce Paul Creasman said: “I’ll use my time to peer pressure you. If you want to see additional things like this, you should be a member of ICOMOS Jordan.” 

The book is provided for by the USAID-SCHEP and implemented by ACOR.