Hijazin Chairs Steering Committee Meeting For Local Communities, Sustainable Tourism Project In Petra, Wadi Rum

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, Sept 3 (Petra) – Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin chaired Wednesday the first meeting of the steering committee for the Local Communities and Sustainable Tourism Project in Petra and Wadi Rum.
The meeting was attended by the Italian Ambassador to Jordan, Luciano Pizzuti, along with Chairman of Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) Fares Breizat, Shadi Ramzi Al-Majali, Chairman of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), representatives from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and the University of Florence, as well as officials from the Department of Antiquities, Petra Archaeological Park, and the UNESCO office in Amman. Several national and international institutions were also present.
Hijazin highlighted UNESCO's key role in supporting and preserving World Heritage sites and praised the Italian government's support through the development cooperation agency for funding the project.
The project aims to ensure the sustainable preservation of Petra and Wadi Rum, listed as World Heritage sites, by enhancing local communities' participation in conservation efforts, building their capacities in tourism and cultural heritage, and promoting inclusive economic growth through community-led initiatives aligned with sustainability and environmental protection principles.
Participants emphasized the importance of ongoing coordination among national and international stakeholders to ensure project activities adhere to global best practices in sustainable tourism and heritage protection.
They also noted that the initiative represents a model for leveraging international partnerships to support local development and strengthen Jordan's position as a leading tourist destination that safeguards its cultural and natural heritage for future generations.
The meeting marks a key step in enhancing local and international cooperation for sustainable tourism and heritage preservation in Petra and Wadi Rum, ensuring communities are active partners and fairly benefit from the project's outcomes.

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