Last Monday, June 28, coincided with the 27th birthday of
HRH Crown Prince Hussein. To my great pleasure, it was mine as
well. The difference is that I was born 51 years earlier.
اضافة اعلان
I have never had the privilege nor the
opportunity to meet with him tete-a-tete, nor have I ever talked to him over
the phone or met with him on zoom or any other video conference platform.
Just to spice things up, I have two other
coincidental facts that are worth mentioning. The first is that my youngest
son, Ali, who studied at the University of California to be a movie director,
was born on November 14, 1991, or 56 years exactly after the late great King
Hussein. So Crown Prince Hussein’s grandfather and
my son share the same birthday.
The second incidental fact is that I got my
bachelor’s degree in economics from the American University in Cairo, where Crown
Prince Hussein’s mother, Her Majesty Queen Rania graduated. However, I graduated
25 years earlier.
When Crown Prince Hussein was born, I was in
Amman dealing with the aftermath of the Petra Bank financial bust and eventual
bankruptcy. However, five months later I shifted gears to join the Jordan Peace
Negotiation team.
I am truly impressed by the Crown Prince’s oratorical
capabilities when he delivers public speeches. In 2017, His Majesty King
Abdullah delegated him to deliver Jordan’s speech to the UN General Assembly meeting
in New York. The speech focused on the issue of youth and the need to give them
the space and attention that they deserve.
It was both serious and direct, and
concentrated on the nitty gritty rather than linguistic adornments. I was
invited by Jordan TV to share my views on the speech.
I was also impressed by the content and
delivery of his eloquent speech at the Global Forum on Youth, Peace, and Security.
The speech was made at the familiar grounds of King’s Academy, where the Crown
Prince finished his high school education. Yet, the rich speech confirmed his
status as a spokesman and representative of the world’s youth.
Moreover, now a technological university is proudly
named after him or after his grandfather. It was an offshoot of the Crown
Prince Foundation. It is still a new university, and it will facilitate the
creation of high-tech careers for young, talented, and innovative Jordanians.
The Crown Prince is now more active in
visiting the various governorates and provincial cities in Jordan. He is getting
more involved in the political and administrative reforms, which his father has
been spurring on. Crown Prince Hussein’s visit to Aqaba last week saw him produce
tangible results on the ground. Poorer families in Aqaba were given lots to
build homes on, and he then headed meetings at Aqaba Port and other
facilities.
I wish him the best in his efforts, particularly
those which resonate with people, and which will endear him more. I am sure
that he has the capacity, charisma, and the language to communicate with the
people and make effective decisions to positively impact their lives.
He is the future bearer of the Hashemite
legacy, and the youthful Crown Prince seems to fully embrace that noble task.
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