As part of the project, the ARCS Association will develop the existing fabrication lab (FabLab) at the Zaha Center – Jerash to support skill development in digital fabrication, 3D modeling, and 3D printing, while creating opportunities for youth, women, people with disabilities, entrepreneurs, students, and community members.
The digital fabrication lab (FabLab) will contribute to the production of innovative products and prototypes, including accessibility tools for visitors with visual impairments, and tourism-related products that support local economic development.
The Executive Director of the Zaha Cultural Center, Rania Sobeih, said: "We view digital fabrication labs as spaces that empower community members to move from learning to application, and from idea to innovation. The Zaha Cultural Center's experience in operating these labs in a number of its branches has proven their ability to provide practical spaces for skill development, encouraging innovation, and opening new opportunities for youth and the local community. Through this partnership, we continue to expand this experience and enhance its impact in the Kingdom's governorates, in line with the needs and priorities of each community."
Sobeih added: "Our partnership with the ARCS Culture and Development Association comes within this approach, to develop the digital fabrication lab in Jerash as a space that combines technology, innovation, heritage, and tourism, and provides youth, women, people with disabilities, students, entrepreneurs, and local community members with opportunities for learning, experimentation, and the development of products and solutions that can contribute to economic and social development. We value the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation for this project, and the opportunity it provides to strengthen this model and expand its impact."
For her part, Dr. Camilla Dulliotti, Head of the ARCS Culture and Development Association and manager of the "Sustainable Jerash" project, said:
"Today we officially begin a new partnership, and over the coming months, the Zaha Cultural Center and the ARCS Culture and Development Association will have the opportunity to work together by providing a space that allows community members to express their creativity, develop their design skills, and produce innovative materials aimed at enriching the tourist experience. This includes innovating new methods for guiding tourists at the archaeological site and the city of Jerash, and developing ideas that allow everyone to access and enjoy the cultural assets in Jerash, while taking into account the needs and special requirements of each individual."
It is noteworthy that the Zaha Cultural Center is a national institution under the Royal Initiatives, offering more than 350 free programs in cultural, educational, technical, sports, and artistic fields, with the aim of empowering children, adolescents, and youth and developing their skills through 25 branches in various governorates of the Kingdom. The center also implements qualitative initiatives in the fields of community development, sustainability, and innovation, and employs technology to create new opportunities for learning, empowerment, and enhancing its impact in serving the community.
The "Sustainable Jerash: Enhancing Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Tourism" project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, is implemented by the ARCS Culture and Development Association in partnership with Un Ponte Per (UPP), Monumenta Orientalia (MO), the Italian Association for Responsible Tourism (AITR), Afaq for Green Environment, and the Sana Association for People with Disabilities. The project aims to enhance the management and preservation of cultural heritage in Jerash, improve accessibility and usability for both the archaeological site and the surrounding urban area, and promote sustainable and inclusive tourism that generates social and economic opportunities for the local community.
