Amman, May 17 (Petra) -- Her Royal Highness Princess Dana Firas, vice president of International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and president of ICOMOS Jordan, on Sunday patronized the closing ceremony of the "Amman – Dialogue on Heritage and People" activities.
The event was held as part of the "Amman Tourist Walkway – Downtown" initiative. It was organized by the Architectural Division of the Jordan Engineers Association in cooperation with the Greater Amman Municipality and the Council for British Research in the Levant.
Princess Dana said World Heritage Day represents an opportunity to reassess the relationship between heritage and everyday life, as well as between the past and the future of cities, warning that limited awareness of heritage preservation threatens urban identity, social cohesion, and sustainable development.
Princess Dana stressed that Amman’s heritage is not merely an aesthetic or historical addition, but rather an integral component of the city’s identity and urban fabric. She noted that understanding the capital’s historical layers is essential to shaping future urban development strategies.
Princess Dana highlighted the significance of the Ain Ghazal archaeological site, which dates back more than 9,000 years, describing it as evidence of Amman’s historical continuity and its status among the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities.
She added that contemporary urban studies demonstrate that culture and heritage are key drivers of quality of life, social cohesion, civic engagement, and economic resilience, noting that cities investing in heritage preservation achieve stronger community belonging and improved urban sustainability.
Princess Dana said heritage in Amman extends beyond historic buildings to include the city’s architectural patterns, neighborhood distribution, topography, and relationship between public and private spaces, underscoring the importance of integrating these elements into urban planning frameworks.
She also pointed to traditional architecture in Amman as a source of sustainable solutions adapted to local environmental conditions, including climate, terrain, and water scarcity, adding that heritage remains a source of identity, meaning, and human connection in urban life.
"Every engineering project and urban plan is fundamentally an act of heritage, as it either reinforces the city’s identity and continuity or distances it from its origins and history," she said.
Around 80 participants took part in the Amman Walkway initiative, producing video content highlighting the heritage value of historical landmarks along the route. The entries were evaluated through a competition dedicated to selecting the best heritage walkway project.
The ceremony also featured the screening of a documentary on Amman’s heritage tourism trails and the announcement of winners in the Best Walkway competition, in which 14 teams representing Jordanian universities competed for the top awards.
//Petra// AJ
