Jordan Times
Monday, September 27, 2004
Training programme for Iraqis
on cultural heritage opens
AMMAN (JT) — The opening ceremony of a training course on “Cultural Heritage and
Museum Management,” part of the Third Country Training Programme for Iraqis, was
held yesterday.
The training is being held in cooperation with the Department of Antiquities (DoA)
and UNESCO in the form of a workshop attended by 15 Iraqi participants,
according to a statement released by the Japanese embassy in Amman.
DoA Director Fawaz Al Kharaysheh and Charge’ d'Affaires ad interim of the
Japanese Embassy Matahiro Yamaguchi attended the opening ceremony on Sunday.
The purpose of the programme is to share with participants experiences and
lessons learned by various countries and organisations in conservation and
preservation of museums and archaeological sites and intangible cultural
heritage.
The workshop also seeks to identify the current status, issues and priory needs
in rebuilding cultural heritage in Iraq and build a firm relationship among the
concerned parties to explore the possibility of developing the Capacity
Development Programme.
“The Japanese government has implemented various courses of the Third Country
Training Programme, which trains the people of surrounding Arab countries in
cooperation with Jordanian government in the predominant sector of the Kingdom
compared with the other countries,” the statement said.
The goal of the Third Country Training Programme for Iraqis is the revival and
reconstruction of the country.
So far, the Japanese government has implemented courses on power network
systems, statistics and water resources management, and is considering
instituting courses in the fields of electricity, governance, water resources,
education and sanitation.
Meanwhile, Japan has announced it will extend $1.5 billion as per grant aid in
2004 and $3.5 billion as per loan aid from 2005 to 2007 for Iraq, the statement
said.