Delegation shares Jordanian culture with Armenian people

YEREVAN, Armenia — A Jordanian delegation returned to the Kingdom this week after an eight-day visit to the Republic of Armenia, during which it shared Jordanian culture with Armenians through exhibitions of music, film, traditional dress and folkloric dance.

The visit took place under an agreement between the countries for cultural exchange in the areas of museums, libraries, music and theatre, which was signed in 2012.

Culture Minister Lana Mamkegh, who headed the delegation, told The Jordan Times while in Yerevan, the republic’s capital, that the cultural week had been a great success, based on reports in Armenian newspapers and reactions from the public.

“I base my assessment of the programme’s success not only on what I read in the Armenian media about our visit, but on what I saw in the eyes of the people who attended the opening ceremony,” Mamkegh said. 

“They responded with astonishment and eagerness to everything we presented, especially the folkloric dance and the traditional dresses.”

Mamkegh said she was interested in strengthening relations between the two countries because there are many Armenians in Jordan. 

Therefore, she visited Armenia two months ago, met with its culture minister and agreed to hold a week of cultural exchange in Armenia.

Among the Jordanian delegation were Royal Film Commission (RFC) Project Manager Shadi Nimri, fashion designer Maryam Murad Mahany, music and dance troupe Ramtha Youth Group for Popular Arts, and Rafi Boyajian of Zohrab Photography.

RFC also screened several Jordanian films during the cultural days at the premises of the Armenian State Philharmonic Hall. 

“When Monaliza Smiled”, a romantic comedy, attracted the most attention, said Lusine Karapetyan, the orchestra’s art director. 

She expressed her hope for more cultural cooperation between the two countries in the future.

During the cultural days, Mamkegh visited several Armenian cultural centres, such as Yerevan State Conservatory, and said such experiences are what the ministry will build on in the future.

“I noticed that Armenian culture is based on art, in all its kinds, which is something we need to benefit from and build on, in the belief that the culture of art combats and wins over the culture of guns, thus guarding youths from terrorism,” she said.

Mamkegh asserted that the Jordanian and Armenian peoples share cultural characteristics including diversity, respect, harmonious living alongside other nationalities, and generosity. 

The traditional Jordanian dresses presented in different parts of the republic, which were modelled by Armenian girls, were received with great admiration, according to the minister. 

Photos of Jordan’s tourist attractions by Jehad Jbara and Zohrab Markarian were also exhibited.

“I feel close to the Armenian culture and heritage, since it is my ancestors’, but Jordan is and will always remain my home,” said Boyajian, of of Zohrab Photography.