Jordan Times
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Queen discusses cooperation between Jordan, Islamic Development Bank
JEDDAH (Petra) - Her Majesty Queen Rania on
Saturday reviewed means to boost cooperation between Jordan and the Islamic
Development Bank (IDB), mainly in development projects.
During a meeting with senior IDB officials, the Queen spoke of several
initiatives she has launched in the areas of development, women’s and youth
empowerment, and education, seeking the bank’s partnership in these projects.
Commending the Queen’s efforts to alleviate poverty and develop local
communities, IDB President Ahmad Mohammad Ali expressed readiness to cooperate
and partner with her initiatives, voicing appreciation of the Queen’s efforts in
this field.
The IDB head also announced that the bank selected three partner countries to
work on Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development pilot projects seeking to
mitigate poverty, create job opportunities and increase chances for vocational
education in the bank’s member states.
Between 1975 and 2005, the IDB financed projects in Jordan through loans and
grants worth $250 million.
Discussing development programmes and initiatives she has launched in the
Kingdom, Queen Rania highlighted the recent “Madrasati” initiative.
Madrasati, which is based on the principles of participation and partnership,
relies on the help of private schools and companies to renovate public schools
and provide a better educational environment, the Queen told the gathering.
Around 15 per cent of the Kingdom’s public schools require immediate
intervention to overcome infrastructure problems and receive necessary
maintenance, the Queen indicated.
Queen Rania also highlighted the launch of the Jordan River Foundation (JRF) and
its various activities, while expressing appreciation for the bank’s assistance
to different development projects in the Kingdom.
The JRF, established in 1995 and chaired by Queen Rania, is a nonprofit
Jordanian nongovernmental organisation which works to empower society,
especially women and children, and in turn, improve the quality of life to
secure a better future for all Jordanians.
The foundation works to establish cooperation and to partner with different
public and private, local, regional Arab and international institutions which
have common goals.
The IDB, a multilateral development financing institution located in Jeddah,
Saudi Arabia, tries to foster economic development and social progress of member
countries and Muslim communities in nonmember countries in accordance with the
Sharia principles.
Also on Saturday, Queen Rania participated in the Sixth Annual Learning and
Technology Symposium at Effat College in Jeddah, a two-day seminar which focuses
on technology in education.
“Yes, technology is important, but this age is not only that of technology.
Technology makes things easier, reduces distances and opens doors. But it can
not think, see or create,” the Queen said in her address.
“Our age is that of vision, the age of thinking and creative ideas. Ideas are
the most valuable commodity these days,” she told the attendance.
Underlining the importance of women in education, the Queen said: “When you
teach a woman, you teach a whole community.”
After the seminar, she met with several college students and discussed
educational issues and the role academics play in building one’s character.