Community empowerment

(Office of Her Majesty – Press Department – Fuheis) - Although Jordan is not expected to have a white Christmas this year, there was still plenty of holiday cheer in the air as Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah lit up the Kingdom’s largest Christmas tree in Fuheis, Monday.

Glittered with holiday lights and Christmas decorations, the city’s main square was full of glee as children gathered to watch the special ceremony. Nearly a dozen children were singing carols in the background as the Queen flipped the switch.

(Linda Hindi, Jordan Times –  Amman) –  Her Majesty Queen Rania inaugurated a training centre in Madaba that will guarantee careers in the tourism industry for its participants.

The vocational training facility for specialised training in the hotel and tourism sector is now the “model centre of excellence” that will serve as a template for 10 other centres around the country.

(Jordan Times – Amman) – Her Majesty Queen Rania joined students and teaching staff at the University of Jordan (UJ), at the launch of a new master’s programme in human rights and humanitarian development.

The launch marked the Kingdom’s celebrations of Human Rights Day observed worldwide yesterday.

(Jordan Times – Aqaba) – Her Majesty Queen Rania on Friday toured several development projects currently being carried out in Aqaba’s old city and the surrounding area, expressing her support for diverse social, economic, educational and environment programmes in the port city.

The Aqaba neighbourhood known as the old city, which hosts a population of 7,000, is afflicted with a high unemployment rate and an abnormal rate of school drop-outs, according to a study carried out by the Jordan River Foundation (JRF).

(Office of Her Majesty – Press Department – Amman) - Accompanying His Majesty King Abdullah II on a visit to the United States last week, Queen Rania spent much of her time promoting cultural understanding, women’s empowerment, and advocating for her charity organization, the Jordan River Foundation (JRF).

(Office of Her Majesty – Press Department – Amman) - As the boys of the Anas Bin Malek Center, an orphanage in Wadi Al Seer, spent the afternoon figuring out creative ways to pass the hours until iftar, a surprise visit by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah added some much welcomed excitement to the quiet afternoon.

Queen Rania, who was visiting the Wadi Al Seer area, stopped in for a quick spot check on the center, where she interacted with the children and distributed some gifts.

(Office of Her Majesty – Press Department – Dead Sea) - Over the past few years, conference halls at the Dead Sea have played host to world leaders and global businessmen coming together to exchange ideas and launch new projects. This Tuesday, the halls buzzed with a new kind of energy and optimism generated by young dynamic leaders, who came together for Naseej, a bold program launched by Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania in 2005.

(Office of Her Majesty – Press Department – Amman) - As the heartbreaking news of Um Abdullah, a recently widowed mother of 11 children, and her struggles reached Jordanian readers, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah was quick to respond to the widow’s pleas for help.

On Thursday, Queen Rania, who read the human interest piece in a local newspaper earlier this week, paid a surprise visit to the widow, who lost her husband to a sudden heart attack two months ago, to offer her solace, comfort and relief. 

(Office of Her Majesty, Press Department – Amman) Juggling hundreds of children during a fun filled evening at the magical Hal Hilalak tent, on Sunday, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah appeared to be up to the task of entertaining the young crowds, and offering them a much needed break from their reality.

(Office of Her Majesty, Press Department - Amman) Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania on Monday visited children at Al Hussein Social Institution in Al Ashrafieh, which provides care for orphaned children.

The King and Queen spent part of the afternoon with the institution's 132 resident children to check on their conditions as part of the King's efforts to keep in touch with members of the Jordanian community, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.

Prior to the visit, King Abdullah made sure that the institution had received all its requirements.