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Supporting
the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority’s (ASEZA) endeavor to
provide the local community with an opportunity to further enhance
interaction between the people of Wadi Rum and tourists through
showing tradition, culture and handicrafts of the people, H.E. Mr.
Koichi Obata, Ambassador of Japan, and H.E. Eng. Nader Dahabi, Chief
Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), on
25 January, inaugurated the opening ceremony of three showrooms in
Wadi Rum’s Visitors Center, which Japan has supported with a $31,752
grant in March 2005. Sheikhs and the local people joined in the
ceremony.
During the ceremony, Mr. Koichi Obata expressed his fondness for Wadi
Rum and hoped the local people would utilize these showrooms to
display their rich culture, tradition and breathtaking beauty to
visitors and tourists. Mr. Obata said, “As all of you know, the
natural beauty of Wadi Rum has fascinated me at first sight when I
came to
Jordan
several years ago. Since
then I have been visiting this great place as frequent as possible and
spending long and happy days and nights with my friends in Wadi Rum. I
am sure that the people of Wadi Rum will take this initiative and
continue their work for the benefit of this stunning attraction.”
The nicely decorated rooms, dedicated to three tribes in Wadi Rum, are
expected to create nine immediate job opportunities for the people of
Wadi Rum. Also, these showrooms are expected to increase income
generation capabilities to the local people whose number reaches up to
6,000 inhabitants.
This idea to foster the initiative of the local people in development was
implemented under the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots
Projects (GAGP). |
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Your
Excellency Engineer Nader Dahabi, Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba
Special Economic Zone Authority,
Distinguished guests and Gentlemen,
I welcome you all to this opening ceremony of three showrooms for my
friends, the people of Wadi Rum.
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to His
Excellency Engineer Nader for his generous support to the
initiative, which provides Wadi Rum tribes with an opportunity to
further enhance interaction between them and their visitors by
displaying tradition, culture and handicrafts of Wadi Rum people.
As all of you know, the natural beauty of Wadi Rum has fascinated me
at first sight when I came to
Jordan
several years ago. Since then I have been visiting this great place
as frequent as possible and spending long and happy days and nights
with my friends in Wadi Rum. I am sure that the people of Wadi Rum
will take this initiative and continue their work for the benefit of
this stunning attraction.
Many visitors come to Wadi Rum and this center from all parts of the
world. I hope that the esteemed people of Wadi Rum would utilize
these showrooms which
Japan
has
supported, to show their rich culture, tradition and breathtaking
beauty to visitors and tourists whom I am sure will share their
startling experiences in Wadi Rum with the end of the earth.
Thank you very much. |
