Curtains go up on Jabal Amman Cultural Week

AMMAN — Jabal Amman’s Cultural Week kicked off on Thursday, presenting a wide range of activities that cater to all segments of society. 

Taking into consideration Jordanians’ passion for culture, the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation (AHSF) started the event, and witnessed a growing interest year by year, which prompted the organisers to further expand the activities, AHSF’s CEO Valentina Qussisiya said. 

“This is the fourth time we’ve held this event and, every year, we present something new. The number of attendees has been growing every year. For example, last year, around 20,000 people attended the activities,” Qussisiya told The Jordan Times. 

She said that this year they introduced scientific activities for children to trigger critical thinking. 

“We always target children and focus on them because, if you want to build a bright society, you have to pay attention to children,” the organiser added. 

The AHSF official said an array of activities will be presented during the week-long event, ranging from book fairs with the participation of 11 publishing houses, fine art exhibitions, book signing  ceremonies to musical shows. 

Commenting on the venue, Qussisiya said Jabal Amman is full of cultural venues, adding that schools will also be involved. 

Tajala, a cultural and artistic society, is also taking part to add colour to the activities, its director Rusol Al Nasser said. 

“Our idea is to provide a new experience for the audience, providing them with outdoor musical shows free of charge,” she told The Jordan Times. 

Tajala organises musical performances on balconies in downtown Amman to strengthen the bond between Jordanians and the city’s architectural heritage, and provide Jordanians with a different kind of musical experience, according to Nasser.