By: News Editor
Jordan Daily - UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany has appointed former minister Nayef Al-Fayez as Assistant Director-General for Culture, UNESCO said on Monday.
Al-Fayez, who brings more than three decades of senior governmental and executive experience, will join UNESCO's senior management team and help oversee the organization's global work on culture, heritage protection and creativity.
He served as minister of tourism and antiquities during three separate terms between 2011 and 2022, leading initiatives focused on cultural heritage preservation, sustainable tourism and international cultural cooperation. He also served as minister of environment between 2012 and 2013 and again in 2018.
Most recently, Al-Fayez was chief commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) from 2022 to 2025, where he spearheaded programmes related to sustainable tourism, environmental sustainability and international partnerships.
Earlier in his career, he served as managing director of the Jordan Tourism Board from 2007 to 2011, overseeing efforts to promote Jordan's cultural and heritage assets internationally and strengthen cooperation with governments and cultural institutions. He also worked at the Royal Hashemite Court between 1994 and 2005.
Al-Fayez holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Brigham Young University in Utah, United States.
In his new role, he will support UNESCO's leadership in advancing cultural policies, safeguarding heritage, promoting creativity and strengthening the role of culture in sustainable development, resilience and international cooperation, the statement noted.
