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AMMAN — HRH Prince El Hassan on Monday attended the signing ceremony of a twinning agreement between Umm Qais and Ercolano city of Italy’s Napoli.
During the ceremony, Prince Hassan said that this twinning is not merely ceremonial. It is an affirmation that cultural heritage is a bridge between nations, between faiths, and between generations, adding: “It reminds us that identity is not isolationist; it is relational,” according to a statement from Prince Hassan’s office.
The prince, in the presence of HRH Princess Sarvath El Hassan, said that the Mediterranean should not be viewed as a dividing line, but a unifying continuum, a shared basin of civilisation through which trade, language, law and philosophy once flowed freely.
“Today, we must reimagine this sea not as a theatre of migration and conflict, but as a continuum of conscience – a region bound by shared moral responsibility,” Prince Hassan said.
He added that in this spirit, “we are not just linking two municipalities; we are affirming a common Mediterranean conscience. A conscience that has, for centuries, been shaped by dialogue, trade, philosophy, and mutual enrichment.”
“We are reigniting the concept of the mare nostrum, not as a possession, but as a shared space of co-responsibility.”
“In doing so, we must also reflect on the difference between legacy and heritage. Legacy is what we leave behind; heritage is what we choose to carry forward,” Prince Hassan said.
He noted that twinning Ercolano and Umm Qais is a conscious act of transmitting values, not just memories, ensuring that what “we inherit is not lost in abstraction, but made relevant through action.”
The prince called for this partnership to serve as a model of human ecology, where economic development, cultural preservation, and environmental stewardship are not at odds, but are interwoven.
“Let us recall that the treasures of Umm Qais and Ercolano are not confined to stone and inscription, but live on in the values we choose to protect, values of coexistence, compassion, and cultural memory,” Prince Hassan said.
Tourism Minister Lina Annab said that this milestone is the fruit of nearly two years of dedicated dialogue, shared vision, and heartfelt cooperation.
Annab said that Prince Hassan’s belief in the power of heritage and cultural dialogue continues to inspire partnerships such as the one we commemorate today.
She added that this twinning is a vital step in “deepening people-to-people relations, fostering mutual understanding, and promoting peace, harmony, and shared growth between our communities.”
Mayor of Ercolano Ciro Buonajuto said that culture, archaeology, and beauty are key tools for the economic and social growth of our cities, noting that this twinning is not only about history. It is about the future.
“In the name of Philodemus, and of Mediterranean civilisation, a new alliance is being born between our peoples: a collaboration agreement in the fields of art, culture, tourism, archaeology, education and sport. Together we will promote exchanges between schools, students and artists, conferences, cultural and sports events,” Buonajuto said.
The agreement, signed by Buonajuto and the Mayor of Khalid Bin Al-Walid Municipality Ibrahim Mabrouk, and set to last for five years, aims to boost cooperative relations between the archaeological site of Umm Qais and the city of Ercolano.
It also aims to promote a spirit of peace and brotherhood through joint activities between schools, including student exchange programmes, and organising conferences and discussion panels on topics of mutual interest.
The agreement also aims to promote tourism through festivals, cultural events, and exchange visits between the two countries, in addition to organising markets and exhibitions for traditional products, and exchanging information related to industrial, artisanal, and commercial activities.