‘National Strategy for Culture to be finalised by September 2017’

AMMAN — Developing and implementing Jordan’s first National Strategy for Culture will enhance the engagement of the younger generation and exclude scenarios of extremism, cultural experts agreed on Tuesday.

They said that collective efforts of public agencies, civil society organisations and cultural operators are key to the success of the strategy, which is expected to be finalised by September 2017.  

Speaking at the second National Consultative Workshop of the EU-funded regional programme Med Culture on behalf of the culture minister, the ministry’s secretary general, Ahmad Rashid, said the strategy is of great importance to Jordan as a safe country in a region of turmoil.

Rashid added that the “fruitful” results of the first consultative workshop, which was held in May, should be built on in the second workshop in order to finalise and implement a long-term strategy that elevates culture and art.

EU Ambassador to Jordan Andrea Matteo Fontana highlighted that the culture as a “powerful tool for intercultural dialogue, economic development and exchange of ideas”, a matter that is much needed to enhance acceptance and interest in “the other”.

He cited a possible connection between the Culture Ministry’s newly endorsed strategy to counter radicalisation and the culture strategy currently in the works.

In an interview with The Jordan Times, Fontana said cultural exchange between people has an increasing importance in Jordan and the region because it counters the negative trends of radicalisation, and the increasing stigmatisation backed by religious and ethnic prejudices.

Christiane Dabdoub Nasser, team leader of EU Med Culture project, said the two-day workshop will build on the draft of the first workshop to create a long-term strategy that expands on cultural expertise across the country.

Three years down the road, the project, which is being implemented in eight countries, has held several training sessions and workshops and developed guidelines with the aim of making culture a priority for countries in the region.

The strategy is expected to be drafted by May 2017 and submitted for official endorsement by September 2017.

At a regional level, Jordan so far is the only country that has made such a progress in the Med Culture project at a policy-level, according to the programme’s team.

Once endorsed, all stakeholders will work on advocating support for implementation, she added.