Umm El Jimal Rock Art: empowering women, preserving heritage
Date:
Photo credits: UN Women Jordan
Amman, 30 May 2016. Under the Patronage of HRH Princess Tharwat El Hassan, UNESCO and UN Women - in cooperation with The Jordan Museum - launched the pilot collection “Umm El-Jimal Rock Art” on 30th May 2016. The exhibition showcased the handcrafted collection of small objects carved out of Basalt stone – a typical stone from the region - made by the women of The Coop Ladies of Um el Jimal District. The event was attended by around 100 participants, including various representatives from the donor community and local authorities from Umm El Jimal.
A team of 25 Jordanian and Syrian women living in the host community and working for the Umm El Jimal the Women’s Association, “Jamaiyya al-Nashmiat Um el-Jimal al-Chairieh”, carved, designed and developed the basalt products presented during the exhibition, thanks to the couching and training received by the famous Jordanian designer Ms. Nadia Dajani - who also supported the women in identifying a marketable product to foster their business.
The women of Umm El-Jimal did not only displayed their artistic crafts – the expression of their impressive talent – but they also shared their hopes for a better future for themselves and their families through enhanced economic opportunities.
The village of Um El Jimal is located in one of Jordan’s poverty pockets in the Mafraq Governorate and is a spectacular archaeological city built by the Byzantine in the traditional black basalt stone. The joint programme, which is generously funded by Royal Netherlands Embassy, sought to empower marginalized Jordanian and Syrian women living in the village – who, due to traditional attitudes, have limited access to economic opportunities – by creating sustainable employment and income-generating opportunities through carving handcrafts made of basalt stone. The overall aim of the project is also to promote women’s participation in the promotion and preservation of the archaeological site. As such, upcoming activities also include the creation of hospitality services to further enhance tourists’ experiences within the archaeological heritage site.