Throughout history, Jabal Amman has transformed from being a residential area to a neighborhood witnessing growing commercial investments. Rainbow Street, in particular, has become a lodestone for businesses, restaurants, and cafes, which has increased the commercial appeal of the district. Nonetheless, rising costs and urban improvements have affected the residents, prompting some to leave.
The economic dimension refers to systems and activities that involve the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services within a society. Jabal Amman's economy has undergone significant changes in this area, transforming it from an upscale residential area into an active commercial and cultural hub. However, the renovation process and high operating costs have also led to several challenges, especially for low-income residents and marginalized groups. Civic participation in economic planning plays a crucial role in promoting balanced and inclusive growth that reflects the needs and aspirations of all residents.
In this context, the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) held the fifth panel discussion of the "Jabal Amman: Past, Present, and Future" initiative, under the title: "The Economic Dimension", on Monday, November 25, 2024. The session was moderated by the consultant at ARDD, Eng. Marah Khayyat.
Regarding building local economies and entrepreneurship, Dr. Sami Al-Hourani, Director and founder of the Leaders of Tomorrow Organization and member of the Jabal Amman Committee, stressed the need for community motivation as a tool for economic advancement and its impact on entrepreneurship, adding that young people must be motivated in social work as it is a science in itself that requires great effort, which begins with realizing their goals.
Al-Hourani noted that the culture of production is the basis for the renaissance of societies, as the absence of this culture from our societies makes us fail to keep pace with the most important developments on the local, regional, and global arenas, citing countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, which followed this culture to achieve their renaissance.
He also pointed to the importance of teamwork and strengthening partnerships between all parties when establishing community initiatives, entrepreneurial projects, and various investments, away from "individualism", to achieve comprehensive economic benefits for societies, as well as the importance of highlighting the capabilities of young people to compete globally, pointing out that the Jordanian economy will not solve the problem of youth unemployment over the next ten years, but that what is required in this context is to improve their capabilities and their ability to compete at the global level.
As for the importance of investing in tourism in Jabal Amman, Haitham Goussous from Romero Group stressed the importance of strategic planning when establishing projects or initiatives in the area, so as to provide job opportunities for the local community itself, with a focus on the role of institutions in supporting youth ideas and initiatives.
Goussous highlighted how to achieve impressive results through the strategic visions of some distinguished individuals and their determination to achieve goals, which paves the way to inspirw others and create a sustainable positive impact, reviewing on the personal and family level the experience of Romero Group as a living example, as this group was able to build an inspiring success story that combines innovation and effective management, which led to sustainable achievements, whether at the level of business development or creating jobs in the community. Another example of success at the level of community was presenting the experience of JARA, both the association and the street market, as the association has succeeded in promoting the cultural and social identity of the area and investing local resources by organizing the Jara Street Market, which has become a platform to empower communities and support the local economy.
In conclusion, the participants stressed the importance of supporting youth and their productive and social initiatives in Jabal Amman in particular and the Kingdom as a whole, as well as the need to launch dialogues between the public and private sectors, civil society, and all communities, stressing that the desire of young people to participate at different levels must be surrounded by a supportive social and institutional environment.
