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PETRA — Set against the breathtaking rose-red cliffs of Petra, the Shaqilah Centre for Traditional and Creative Crafts is weaving heritage and empowerment into the future of southern Jordan.
Born from collaboration between the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) and the GIZ-implemented project Qualification Oriented to Employment in the Craft (Skilled Crafts), commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the centre is designed as both a sanctuary for Nabataean culture and a springboard for women’s economic independence.
Far more than a training facility, the Shaqilah Centre is envisioned as a dynamic crafts village, a place where the spirit of ancient Petra meets contemporary needs.
Here, traditional practices like silver jewellery making, pottery, and food processing are revived through hands-on vocational training programmes, transforming inherited skills into income-generating tools.
“This is how we empower women and young people; by providing them with certificates of professional qualification and supporting them in launching their own projects,” said Fatima Helalat, Commissioner for Sustainable Development at the PDTRA.
“We do not abandon our graduates; we continue to support them by offering employment opportunities. They go on to produce the crafts they were trained in, and we help connect them to the job market,” Helalat noted.
The centre’s approach combines technical training with comprehensive career guidance and counselling, provided before, during, and after the programme. This ensures that trainees are not just equipped with skills, but with the confidence and support necessary to sustain long-term employment or entrepreneurship.
What distinguishes the Shaqilah Centre is its “deep-rooted” commitment to cultural preservation. Each training module integrates lessons in Nabataean history and the cultural significance of the crafts, encouraging participants to see themselves as carriers of a unique and invaluable heritage.
In doing so, the centre becomes a living archive, where culture is not only remembered but actively practiced and evolved.
In a region where modern livelihoods often come at the cost of eroded traditions, the Shaqilah Centre offers a compelling alternative: one in which cultural identity and economic sustainability are not mutually exclusive.
It is a rare space where Petra’s women can shape their futures without letting go of their pasts.
As interest in sustainable tourism and authentic cultural experiences grows, initiatives like the Shaqilah Centre could also play a “vital” role in enriching Petra’s tourism economy.
Visitors and locals alike may soon come to see the centre not just as a training site, but as a vibrant cultural destination, one that exemplifies how communities can thrive when tradition and opportunity go hand in hand.