In Jordan, there is an ancient Christian heritage that is in harmony with the Islamic heritage and identity of our country. We take pride in this legacy, as His Majesty says, and the Kingdom has hosted four papal visits, starting with Pope Paul VI in the first official papal visit to a Muslim country in 1964, the visit of Pope John Paul II in 2000, the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, and the visit of Pope Francis I in 2014. This is a clear indication of Jordan's position as a destination for Christian pilgrimage and visiting the site of the Baptism of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him).
Jordanian efforts to care for historical sites have achieved many results on both global and local levels, as it succeeded in registering the Baptism Site on the World Heritage List in 2015, which is considered one of the holiest Christian sites in the world, representing the symbolism of an important historical era in human history. These are ongoing efforts, the latest of which was this year when His Majesty the King inaugurated the International Orthodox Baptism Site University, and agreements were signed to implement major projects within the national project to develop lands adjacent to the Baptism Site.