Documenting Stories from Umm el-Jimal, Jordan

Ruins of Umm el-Jimal in Jordan by chrisCyArk

Introducing Umm el-Jimal

Umm el-Jimal is home to almost two thousand years of history, including a vibrant community today. It is the best-preserved Byzantine town in the Southern Hauran region and archaeological investigation has been underway at Umm el-Jimmal for over a century. 

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Where is Umm el-Jimal?

The site is located approximately 70km northeast of Amman and just south of the Syrian border.

Children Swimming at Umm el-Jimal, JordanCyArk

The Community of Umm el-Jimal

The Umm el-Jimal archaeological site lies literally at the doorstep of the modern city of Umm el-Jimal. Local residents grow up visiting and learning about the site, as part of their primary education.

Manna Almassaed posing in Window at Umm el-JimalCyArk

Sharing the memories of Umm el-Jimal

In 2022, StoryCenter led an online community storytelling workshop through the U.S. Community Heritage Exchange Initiative, bringing young people and tour guides together to share memories. 

Heba Shurofat DrawingCyArk

Listen to the stories

During six sessions, the storytellers learned to craft and record short narration scripts, produce images, and use digital editing tools. The resulting videos are being shared around the country, to educate future generations about the importance of preserving cultural heritage.

Joy That Lasts Forever

Created by Manna Almassaed

Regular Shapes

by Heba Shurofat

An Unforgettable Football Game

by Abed Alelah Ayadah

Credits: Story



This project was made possible thanks to support and efforts from the following organizations: The U.S Department of State, The Umm el-Jimal Project, and StoryCenter .

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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