Originally posted by heyyyy@May 30th, 2004 - 1:45 pm
hi would someone PLEASE post pictures of Hamzah and noor together in London. i know someone previously asked but no one did post any
pleaseeeee
This is the only picture that I could find... There probably aren't that many pictures of their trip to London and that's why no one has posted. This is from Hamzah's official website
LONDON — HRH Crown Prince Hamzah stressed that Islam is a moderate faith that calls for tolerance, understanding and peace between people and rejects hatred, extremism and violence.
The Prince's remarks were made as he headed a panel discussion organised here by the British Council as part of a cultural programme, "Jordan in the UK," in which Jordanian and British students studying in the UK universities met and exchanged viewpoints over many cultural issues.
Crown Prince Hamzah called on the Western world to study and understand Islam on the basis of facts, rather than any other criteria that leads to giving the wrong impression about the faith and its followers in the world.
He highlighted the role assumed by His Majesty King Abdullah in clearing the name of Islam and removing misunderstanding about it.
The Crown Prince added that the increasing Western interest in studying Islam and the history of the Middle East gives a feeling of optimism, but he added that such a study must be driven by willingness for cooperation and understanding to prevent cultural clash.
"Islam is based on respecting followers of other religions and effectively participating in building human civilisation," he said.
Islam, the Crown Prince stressed, is also a faith based on science and knowledge. For such a reason, added the Prince, Jordan is always working to improve its educational system and investing more in its human resources.
Prince Hamzah called on the Jordanian students in London to benefit from the experience they gain at the British universities to help build their country when they return home.
The Crown Prince said that the educational process should focus on "quality" rather than "quantity" and on meeting real market demands. In this regard, he said, Jordan led by King Abdullah is exerting remarkable efforts to introduce the concept of "modern school" to the Kingdom's educational system.
The importance of improving the educational sector in the country, he said, stems from the influential role modern education can play in enhancing the Jordanian democratic march, which started in the reign of His Late Majesty King Hussein.
The significance of powerful educational and democratic system, Prince Hamzah pointed out, also stems from the fact that it helps to a great extent in empowering women to assume more active role in public life.
Jordan, he added, has set an example by paving the way for women to reach Parliament where they have now a six-seat quota. Jordanian women are also represented in the Upper House and are participating in decision-making through having three female ministers in the Cabinet, adding there is at least one woman in each of the country’s 99 municipalities.
In this context, HRH the Crown Prince, pointed out to the great efforts paid by Her Majesty Queen Rania and the government in advancing the role played by the Jordanian women in building their society.
Responding to a question from students participating in the two-hour panel discussion, Prince Hamzah said that objective media can play an effective and active role in bridging gaps between people from different societies and cultures.
Towards the end of the panel discussion, Prince Hamzah highlighted the importance of the "Jordan in the UK" programme which aimed at dismissing misconceptions associated with the Arab/Islamic culture and strengthening intercultural communication and dialogue between young people in Jordan and UK in order to achieve a greater understanding of the nature and values of both societies.
Prince Hamzah said that such activities entrench the belief that "what gathers us as humans to achieve our dreams and hopes is greater than what separates us" and that "knowing the other plays an important role in sparing the world many painful crises resulting from frustration and misunderstanding."
The panel discussion was attended by The Hashemite Fund for Human Development Director Farah Daghistani and Deputy Raed Qaqish. While Qaqish emphasised that the Jordanian society has many examples to indicate the effective exercise of the right of expression and democracy, Daghistani pointed out that more efforts should be exerted to spread awareness about both concepts in both the Arab and Western worlds.
Also participating in the panel discussion, which was moderated by the British Council Director in Amman, Tim Gore, were the BBC News presenter Zeinab Badawi, who said that Jordan is a clear example of a moderate country in the Middle East, and the Independent columnist and writer, Johann Hari.
Hamzah
On the sidelines of the seminar, Prince Hamzah, accompanied by HRH Princess Noor Hamzah, opened a photo exhibition by Jordanian students. Photos depicting the Kingdom's culture and art were on display.
Noor and Hamzah