USAID helps enlist Wadi Rum as a World Heritage site
3 July 2011
On 25th June, 2011 Wadi Rum was inscribed as a new UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it Jordan’s fourth World Heritage site after Petra, Qusayr Amra and Um Ar-Rassas. The USAID Jordan Tourism Development Project is pleased to have partnered with the Government of Jordan to reach this internationally-acclaimed recognition, which is a great honor for Jordan and all Jordanians.
“This win is considered a recognition for Jordan and its heritage, and will have a great impact on the country’s tourism sector,” said Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, H.E. Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh.
“We are pleased and honored by the UNESCO inscription. Wadi Rum is unique in the world in terms of its geological morphology and the rock art inscriptions that can be found through the area,” said H.E. Issa Ayoub, Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), the custodian of the site. He added, “Now that the Wadi Rum Protect Area has been inscribed, our duty is to present it to the world in a manner fit for its special global status.”
The road to UNESCO inscription was not easy, and many institutions and individuals played key roles in achieving this success. Work began in 2009, starting with a memorandum of understanding signed in May 2009 between the USAID Jordan Tourism Development Project and ASEZA; the Ministry of Environment supported the UNESCO nomination as well as the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities, Department of Antiquities and the Jordan World Heritage National Committee. A team of international and Jordanian experts engaged by the USAID tourism project developed a superb winning file. As a result, Wadi Rum has been inscribed as a mixed value site, which is unique in both its natural beauty and cultural significance.
“We were proud to have worked with the Government of Jordan and the Wadi Rum community leaders on developing this nomination. This will further raise the profile of Wadi Rum globally which will attract higher value visitors and improve livelihoods of local residents,” said Ibrahim Osta, Chief of Party of the USAID Jordan Tourism Development Project.
To win the prestigious accolade Jordan needed to demonstrate outstanding universal value for the site of Wadi Rum. “This means that Wadi Rum is important to all of humanity and this is another responsibility for Jordan to be the custodian of another world Heritage site,” said Senator Akel Biltaji.
Dr. Moawiyah Ibrahim, head of the Jordan National World Heritage Committee Representative said, “This is an important step toward protecting the site and putting the site on the road to sustainable development.”
The total area of WRPA is 74,200ha. The property extends approximately 42km from north to south and approximately 33km from east to west. A buffer zone of c.5km in width, with some excepted areas, surrounds the nominated area and is stated as having a total area of 60,000ha. Wadi Rum is a major feature within the Hisma desert lying to the East of the Jordan Rift Valley and south of the steep escarpment of the central Jordanian plateau. Wadi Rum was made famous in the West by the movie Lawrence of Arabia. It was also an important station in the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, lead by Sharif Hussein bin Ali, great grandfather of His Majesty King Abdullah II.
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