Jordan Times
Friday-Saturday, October 5-6, 2001
UNESCO to help set up advanced technology centre
By Dina Al Wakeel
AMMAN — UNESCO has officially agreed on Thursday to set up a centre for Synchrotron Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) in the Kingdom, said Minister of the Education Khalid Touqan on Thursday.“The centre, an international centre for advanced science and technology under the auspices of UNESCO, will begin construction Dec. 19 near Princess Rahma College, at the Allan area north of the city of Salt,” said Touqan.
“The project is considered to be one of the most advanced scientific in the world and will help Jordan to enter a highly advanced technological era,” explained Touqan.
Synchrotron Light is a basic tool for science and technology, especially for the production of X-rays, and also for scientific research, he continued.
According to the minister, this centre will be similar to the Centre European de la Recherche Nucleaire (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland.
“The German government earlier offered to help equip the centre, while the Jordanian government will provide the necessary infrastructure,” said Touqan, adding that Jordan has allocated $4 million for the construction of the building.
The centre will not only help Jordanian scientists, continued Touqan, but will also serve others in the region and the rest of the world.