Ethno Jordan 2012

Ethno Jordan 2012 was a regional music residency held in Amman from 1 to 6 September 2012, bringing together around 40 young musicians aged 15 to 30 from across the Arab world and Europe. The programme formed part of the Euro-Arab Youth Music Center’s (EAYMC) broader efforts to use traditional music as a tool for intercultural dialogue, youth empowerment, and regional cooperation. Organised in collaboration with the National Music Conservatory of Jordan, the Arab Academy of Music, Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI), EPILOGI (Cyprus), and the Sevda-Cenap And Foundation (Turkey), the project created a space for musical learning and shared cultural experience.

The core of the camp followed the Ethno methodology, an approach that relies on oral transmission and peer-to-peer teaching. Each participant brought a traditional song from their culture and taught it to the rest of the group, fostering not only musical exchange but also deeper appreciation of different histories, languages, and artistic sensibilities. Rehearsals, jam sessions, and informal conversations took place daily, culminating in a public concert at Amman’s historic Roman Amphitheatre on 5 September. The performance showcased a repertoire collectively learned over the week, drawing on diverse musical traditions from across the Mediterranean and beyond.

Ethno Jordan 2012 was designed with a clear social and political context in mind: promoting intercultural understanding at a time when the Arab-European relationship was often framed through tension and difference. Many of the young participants came from communities with limited access to international cultural initiatives or mobility opportunities. By participating in this project, they not only developed musically, but also acted as informal cultural ambassadors, building friendships and networks across borders.

The project left a lasting impact on those involved — many participants stayed connected beyond the camp and carried the experience back into their local music scenes, schools, and communities. Ethno Jordan demonstrated how a simple format — young people sharing songs — can challenge stereotypes, create solidarity, and open new possibilities for cooperation between regions.