Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazeen received, Monday, a high-level delegation of evangelical leaders in Amman on Monday. The meeting focused on cooperation and coordination, particularly in increasing Christian tourism to Jordan. The minister welcomed Rev. Attorney Botrus Mansour, the new Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance, which includes 650 million evangelical Christians worldwide, as well as Pastor Dr. Nabeeh Abbasi, Ambassador of the World Baptist Alliance for the Middle East and North Africa, and Pastor Dr. Jack Sara, President of Bethlehem Bible College.

The discussion focused on the countdown for the celebration of the third millennium of the baptism of Jesus Christ in 2030. Conversations were also held with Pastor Abbasi regarding the possibility of hosting global conferences in Jordan and directing investments from the global Baptist community to support Christian tourism.

Minister Hijazeen expressed his desire to increase cooperation with all Christians without exception, especially in the field of tourism and pilgrimage to religious and archaeological sites in Jordan, expressing his pleasure at national Arab figures who have reached influential positions in the evangelical Christian world.  “The Jordanian Ministry of Tourism aims to enhance religious tourism and provide the requirements for the success of these projects within a comprehensive vision for developing the tourism sector in the kingdom.”

Pastor Botrus Mansour expressed his pleasure in exchanging ideas and working collaboratively with Jordan, noting that “the meeting was rich in ideas and warm in feelings, paving the way for significant cooperation and coordination in the coming period, including the possibility of large delegations of evangelicals coming to Jordan, in addition to establishing projects and investments in the field of Christian tourism.”

He mentioned that he visits Jordan frequently and wishes to strengthen the relationships and cooperation between the global evangelical community and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, especially in the field of tourism and pilgrimage. “I am Palestinian from Nazareth, and for me, Amman is like Ramallah but on a larger scale.”

Rev. Dr. Nabeeh Abbasi, the head of the Baptist Convention in Jordan and honorary ambassador in the World Baptist Alliance for the Middle East, spoke of work on several projects and investments and discussed participation in conferences that Baptists, numbering 110 million worldwide, intend to hold in Jordan.

The minister also welcomed the offer by Rev. Dr. Jack Sara to cooperate in improving communications with Christian evangelical tours. Sara suggested providing a manual prepared by the Bethlehem Bible College to help Jordanian tour guides.

The meeting concluded with the minister emphasizing the need to continue communication and coordination, with symbolic gifts exchanged among the attendees and several commemorative photos taken.