Irbid, April 7 (Petra) -- HH Princess Dana Firas, President of the World Council on Monuments and Sites/ICOMOS- Jordan and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Cultural Heritage, said museums are key institutions in defining and shaping memory, identity, and meaning, contributing to how nations perceive themselves.

Speaking at a seminar titled "The Role of Cultural Heritage Museums in Promoting National Identity," organized by the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University, Princess Dana referred to key concepts related to museum acquisitions and displays, including equity, compensation, and restitution, noting that the issue goes beyond returning artifacts to restoring the integrity of historical narratives. She said restitution is not merely about objects but about dignity and enabling communities to tell their histories in their own voices.

She added that when museums reshape or neglect historical references, they also reshape understanding and influence how future generations perceive history, belonging and legitimacy.

She stressed the role of universities in preserving cultural heritage as centers of knowledge and development, shaping the foundations of museums and determining which stories are told, how they are told, and by whom, with integrity and accuracy. She highlighted the challenge facing universities, students, and emerging professionals to uphold evidence-based and rigorously researched historical narratives.

Princess Dana also pointed to the rapid evolution of tools and methodologies in museums, noting the need for youth talent and their ability to understand ongoing digital transformations and leverage them in museum work.

She said that with accelerating technological change and the rise of digital platforms and artificial intelligence, museums are no longer confined to physical spaces, placing greater responsibility on stakeholders to anticipate governance frameworks still in early stages, use technology responsibly, avoid reproducing existing biases, amplify marginalized voices and reconnect dispersed heritage with its communities.

She added that digital restitution offers innovative pathways for communities to access and interpret their heritage, while technology supports preservation efforts through advanced imaging, environmental monitoring and data analysis.

Princess Dana emphasized that amid the shift toward a digital future, the core mission of museums must remain intact as institutions that preserve and present heritage, serving as a bridge between past and present, people and place, and knowledge and identity.

For his part, University Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mahmoud Al-Sheyyab thanked Princess Dana for patronizing the symposium, noting that Jordan’s antiquities are a key tool in shaping national identity, not merely a source of tourism revenue.

He said museums strengthen national belonging by preserving cultural and historical heritage and connecting generations to a shared past, while also supporting cultural tourism.

Dean of the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology Khaled Al-Bashaireh said the Princess’s patronage reflects her commitment to cultural heritage and her efforts to safeguard it, adding that the symposium addressed topics linking heritage with sustainable development, responsible tourism and education.

The event included two scientific sessions discussing around 17 research papers on the role of Jordanian museums in promoting national identity and preserving heritage, in addition to poster presentations, and concluded with a general discussion on challenges and recommendations to enhance the role of museums in society.

//Petra// AF