Message From The Founder

A Message from the Founder of Bait Al-Anbat (House of the Nabataeans)

 

Among the most recurrent ideas, generated by some of Jordanian intellectuals, more accepted and committed to the principles of multiculturalism, are those concerned more with the absence of Jordanian cultural geography from the contemporary Arabic cultural arena. Many perplexing and bewildering questions about the great civilization of the Nabataeans are repetitively asked, especially when we recall its intended absence from the contemporary Arabic consciousness.

 

Nabataean civilization is very prominent. It is de facto the first Arabic country in the history of ancient Arabic groups; the first socio-political publicity of the Arabic identity in history; and the longest prosperous era of an Arabic political entity in ancient civilizations. It is apparently the most outstanding achievement in the history of Arabic culture, represented in writing and Arabic letter; the earliest model of a global society, open to the other and and confidently capable of careful and creative diversity and very cautious of the shape and the colour of the identity. Moreover, it is the path that paves the way toward the dawn of Islam.

 

Accordingly, the elite of Jordanian friends suggest ed celebrating the roots of Jordan, and the roots of modernity in the past because it is an incentive, and most important, a burdenless history. In such a manner, Bait Al-Anbat was created somewhere between Amman and Petra, over the slopes of Kerak. It divulges the history of Jordan to Palestine, Syrian Desert, the borders of Iraq and Eastern Delta. It also endeavours to decode the unreadable notebooks and inscriptions.

 

Through 12 years of continuous voluntary work, Bait Al-Anbat becomes a civil cultural institution, deserving respect and trust, and bringing together hundreds of Jordanian intellectuals, friends from Arab countries and from the world—not the least of whom are writers, academics, researchers, artists, journalists and various elites. They have a strong sense of human civilization, creative diversity, and values of righteousness, justice, beauty and progress. 
 
  It confidently paves its path, strongly faces the challenges and obstacles, and looks hopefully for a new generation, taking on the responsibility of voluntary, scientific and cultural work. In this way, it becomes the source of tens of great ideas and many developmental and cultural projects, tens of international conferences, endlessly scientific and cultural forums, tens of books, publications, scientific and developmental centres. All these achievements emphasize the significance of voluntary work and strengthen the awareness of the sense of life.

          Through education we work for the sake of people, through whom we thus protect it.

 

Dr. Basim Al-Twissi