Amman: Princess Wijdan Al Hashemi, President of the Royal Society of Fine Arts, attended the opening ceremony of “Comics Week” on Monday evening at Sweifieh Village in Amman. Now in its fifth edition, the event is held under the theme “Comics Without Borders,” organized by the European Union and the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) cluster in Jordan.
According to Jordan News Agency, EU Ambassador to Jordan Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas remarked that Comics Week has evolved into a significant cultural connection between Jordan and the European Union. This year, the event sees participation from the embassies of Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, and Spain, alongside contributions from the French Cultural Center and the Italian “Dante Alighieri” Society.
Chatzisavas emphasized the event’s role in exploring the power of visual storytelling with Jordanian artists and audiences. He noted that the theme “Comics Without Borders” underscores the universal language of art, which transcends barriers and connects people. This edition includes 22 illustrators, with 7 hailing from Europe and 15 from Jordan. He also highlighted the “Amman Mural” competition, organized in collaboration with the Greater Amman Municipality and Jotun Paints. The competition, which involved 40 artists, was won by Asmaa Abu Hadeed.
The event will host workshops for all age groups led by professional artists, focusing on character design, comic storytelling techniques, and digital publishing. Jessica Batshone, president of EUNIC Jordan, added that comics are a form of creative storytelling, and 250 students aged 11-14 from private schools will participate in the workshops.