Mayor of Amman, Omar Maani, signed recently four agreements with Jordanian Writers Association represented by its chairman Soud Qbeilat, Jordanian Artists Association represented by its president Hussein Al Khateeb, Plastic Artists Association represented by its president Ghazi Nueim, and the Jordanian Society for Photography represented by the chairman Soqrat Qahoosh.
The Mayor ascertained that the cultural product in Amman should be developed, and that Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is seriously concerned with the cultural movement, especially creativity, and intellectual improvement.
He said that GAM is preparing a huge model narrating the history and future of Amman in one of the city halls to be accessible to all citizens and tourists during April 2010.
During the signing of the agreements with the cultural partners, who represent the majority of Jordan intellectuals, the Mayor reviewed some of GAMs initiatives that aim at promoting the cultural movement, such as the rehabilitation project of four cinemas, namely, Jordan theatre, Rainbow, Al Khayyam, and Al Hussein theatre.
He also announced the end of works in Jabal Al Qalaa project, in which GAM created an urbanized space far from the ruins area to hold different activities that narrate the history of the city and its successive civilizations.
He added that the old electricity company (Hangar) in Ras El Ein will be a center for craftsmen, since GAM is concerned with the success of the craftsmen experiences locally and internationally.
On his part, City Deputy Manager for Cultural, Social, and Sports Affairs, Eng. Haitham Jweinat, revealed GAMs intention to convert its old club building in Jabal Al-Weibdeh into a cultural center with halls for photographers and plastic artists, in addition to a café for intellectuals, first of its kind in Amman city.
Jweinat also assured GAMs support to Al Weibdeh Residents Association, and to the issuance of two books, the first tackles the buildings of Jabal Al Weibdeh, and the other about the residents of the area since it came to existence until the present time.
Executive Director of Culture, Eng. Samir Khreno, said that the four agreements aim at creating partnerships between GAM and the cultural centers for community service; each center will provide GAM with experience and knowledge to help it render the cultural services to the public to ensure the high quality of such services, and to realize GAMs goal of moving from the phase of intellectuals and artists support to the phase of supporting the culture of society at large, in cooperation with intellectuals and artists.