Haifa Najjar, Jordan’s minister of culture, decried vandalism at heritage sites in the country, citing an incident in which Jerash’s heritage site was vandalized. Najjar described the vandalism incident as irresponsible and a reflection of the lack of awareness shared by Jordanians about the importance and value of historical sites. At the Jerash heritage site, Najjar emphasized the value of the Jerash culture and art festivals as a cultural gateway for Jordan.
She explained that the festival is an opportunity for the Ministry to promote the historical site of Jerash. Furthermore, she noted that the Ministry will advertise local products through global platforms to support the cultural industries. According to Mazen Kawar, Executive Director of the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts, the festival’s activities will start on July 28 at the Jerash heritage site and run until August 8.