The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the Embassy of Spain to Jordan, in collaboration with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the Department of Palestinian Affairs of the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Spanish artistic collective Boa Mistura, and the Jordanian artistic association Al Balad Theatre, jointly organized the "Meeting of Urban Artists and Boa Mistura Mural Intervention in Marka Palestine Refugee Camp (Jordan)" cultural event in Amman.
The initiative, centered around street art, was carried out by Boa Mistura at the UNRWA Marka Boys' School between 9-22 June 2023. The event saw the participation of both young Jordanian artists, who received practical training on large scale street art interventions by Boa Mistura's artists, and Palestine Refugee school students from the Marka camp community.
The artistic intervention was developed under the framework of the the Spanish Cooperation ACERCA Program for Training for Development in the cultural sector. A mural was created on the school's playground, and draws inspiration from the rich tradition of Palestinian embroidery. By incorporating this ancestral tradition, Boa Mistura pays homage to the cultural heritage of the children who engage with this space on a daily basis.
The Embassy of Spain and the Spanish Cooperation, along with all the stakeholders involved, acknowledge the transformative power of culture and art in empowering communities and driving development. Through the ACERCA activity, UNRWA students aged 10 to 16 actively participated in the mural project, fostering a profound sense of ownership and pride in their contribution.
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THE ACERCA PROGRAM IN A FEW WORDS:
The Spanish Cooperation's ACERCA Training Program for Development in the Cultural Sector was established in 2005 with the fundamental objective of training professionals in the cultural sector as a contribution to sustainable development. To achieve this goal, the program supports, promotes, and organizes seminars, workshops, courses, meetings, expert exchanges, and forums for debate, aimed at strengthening the capacities of different actors involved in all aspects of culture in the various countries where it operates.
As a cultural cooperation program, ACERCA aligns with the Fifth Master Plan of Spanish Cooperation and with the document that inspired it; the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. All these goals emphasize the cultural sector's capacity to generate decent work and economic growth, reduce inequalities, protect the environment, promote gender equality, and build peaceful and inclusive societies. Moreover, the ACERCA activities are framed within the Partnership Framework between Spain and the partner country, in this case the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
