LONDON: Jordan named the village of Hmoud, the site of a deadly mass shooting in the Karak governorate last month, as the City of Culture for 2027, stressing national unity and solidarity.

Culture Minister Mustafa Rawashdeh announced Sunday that Hmoud would be recognized for its cultural and educational heritage across various initiatives, the Jordan News Agency reported.

A mass shooting attack on a Christian community last month killed at least nine people.

Rawashdeh said during a visit to Hmoud that the designation honored the village’s place in the national memory and its residents’ contributions to education and culture. The decision also reaffirmed the role of culture in promoting tolerance, citizenship and social cohesion.

The ministry will establish a library, a cultural street, the Hmoud Prize for Arabic Fiction and a memorial commemorating the village’s history, he added.

Rawashdeh also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment, under the national vision led by King Abdullah II, to expanding access to knowledge, preserving national identity and promoting moderation and mutual respect.

Speaking on behalf of residents, the president of the Hmoud Heritage Revival Association, Fares Halasa, welcomed the initiative, saying it honored the village’s history while reaffirming its commitment to education, coexistence and national unity.