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Ammon News -

 Prime Minister Bishr Khasawneh on Tuesday said that the government, national institutions, the private sector and local actors are all stakeholders in the success of an "important national and Arab event," celebrating Irbid as the Arab Capital of Culture for 2022.

Chairing a meeting of the Higher National Committee for the Irbid Celebration, the Prime Minister and Chairman of the Committee said the northern governorate "has made great contributions to our national development, just like other governorates across the Kingdom".

Khasawneh said his government is ready to provide the necessary support to expedite preparations for the anticipated event, and pledged that all financial resources will be made available to hold cultural events and activities, stressing the importance of the role and contribution of the private sector in the success of the celebration.

He underscored the role of national media in promoting the pan-Arab cultural event in a manner that befits the development of the Jordanian state and its achievements in various fields.

Khasawneh decided to hold the committee's next meetings in Irbid a month from now to check on the concerned parties' progress, pointing out that he will instruct all ministries and institutions to cooperate with the Higher Committee and its executive office to hold a successful celebration.

He pointed out that this committee meeting, the second one so far, was delayed following the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns and closures.

Irbid was originally supposed to be the Arab Capital of Culture of 2021, however, after the COVID-19 breakout, the Arab League's Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization proposed to make the city the culture capital for the year 2022, said Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh, the committee's Deputy Chairman.

Meanwhile, Minister of Culture Haifa Najjar pointed out that the ministry will dedicate all of its resources to ensure the celebration runs smoothly.

During the meeting, the committee discussed measures to maximize benefit from the Arab cultural event, and reviewed a proposal to make chrysanthemum, a flower that Irbid is historically known for, as the logo for the celebration.