Amman is definitely a city that has started a journey of self (re)discovery. A city that has exploded in all directions over the past decades, is finally finding time to look inwards again, to rediscover and celebrate its own urban heritage.

Yesterday it was time to celebrate one of Amman’s old stairs in Jabal Al Luweibdeh, as part of the Greater Amman’s Municipality’s Summer Festival activities. The chosen stair was the Saadi Stair connecting Mohammad Iqbal Street up from Luzmila hospital (check out their site) and Mohammad Ali Saadi Street, which leads to the upper entrance of Darat Al Funun. Other Amman stairs to be used in the coming two Fridays are Raghadan Stair opposite Amman’s Roman Theatre and Basman Street, connecting downtown Amman’s Basman Street to Qabartay Street on lower Jabal Amman. All the events go on from 7 to 10 pm and have different artistic and historical themes.

“A Melody and an Artist” was the theme of lat Friday’s event. The idea is to bring music, art, food and craft to the stairs.

I was very eager to see how would this turn out and arrived a little after 7 pm with my son to check it out.

The feeling I came away with is generally positive. The concept is great. The setting is great. I also noticed that some people from the neighborhood where present, or sitting on their verandas watching with interest. GAM staff and sponsors where there in full force. A lot of video cameras where there too. GAM and others where eager to document this first time event.

As time passed, more and more people started arriving, just checking out the scene. I chatted with a few people interested in urban matters. My son was more interested in the talented Iraqi artist who was busy doing a portrait of the GAM official who came to open the event.

The problem of this event was there was too little to see and too little to eat. A stand selling popcorn and chocolate chip cookies does not count as a celebration of food, let alone Ammani street food. Ab Mahjoob falafel should have been there doing sandwiches. Food, in the end, is what draws people outside their homes.

More art should’ve also been there. Thank goodness for the portrait artist. The other two artist sown the street where not bad. But more was needed.

As for music, well, the stair was too silent. Two guitarist and a saxophonist where there doing everything from Ilham Madfa’ee’s “Mali Shughul Bissoug” to Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”. I wouldn’t be too picky about what’s being played, but a more engaging performance was called for.

After an hour we were hungry and headed for Shawerma in Abdoun!

Now with all these critiques I think that this was a good first step. Amman is still nervous about its first baby steps of celebrating itself. But I can envision a future where thousands of people enliven Amman’s old quarters every evening as the descend from Jabal Amman, Jabal Al Luweibdeh and other hills to the city’s downtown.

The most important thing, for Amman, is for it to gain what I call an urban self awareness. Although these public stairs are used by Ammani citizens everyday, celebrations of public space and getting closer to Amman’s story through those public spaces are eagerly needed in a city’s where many have opted to stay in their private houses and villa’s and have turned their back on urban life.

I leave you with some photos..

Ooops.. wrong stair!

Arriving at the lower end of the Saadi Stair

Amman’s garden spill over onto its stairs

Curious neighbors..

The media was there

Ammani veranda

A melody and an artist..

Night falls and more people arrive..

Iraqi portrait artist..

.. a crowd pleaser!

Bilal Hammad give an interview. “A city is not just buildings.. Its people”..

Saying goodbye and heading for Shawerma elsewhwere

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