Celebrating Jordan's centenary is not only a national
priority; it is a lot more than that.
The centenary is a lifestyle and a great story to be told,
not only to the local audience, who are the pillar of this story, but to a
larger audience across the world. This is an endless process that should have
clear objectives, a set timeframe for each stage, and the right tactical
components.
اضافة اعلان
Yes, we need the general public in Jordan, especially the
youth, to know how our country, leaders, and people toiled to place their
homeland on the world map and build it as a great player and a role model for
others, with a noticeable record of success and a realistic understanding of
what has gone wrong and why it has gone off course.
The reform process underway is one manifestation of the
profound and realistic understanding on the part of our leadership of what we
need to do.
In fact, His Majesty King Abdullah's seven Discussion Papers
serve as the best reference framework for this understanding, and are being
used as such by the
Royal Committee to Modernize the Political System, as it meets
to revamp political life in the Kingdom.
Indeed, we need the younger generation to grow up aware of
what the founding fathers, and the generations that came in the aftermath of
the inception, have achieved to render the country the place where we are
living in now: a true survivor with an amazing ability to turn challenges into
opportunities.
In the outcome, we are a constantly challenged nation, but
one that is respected by the world, despite the gaps in the structure we have
built and sustained. Regardless of what the pessimists would say, the
undeniable fact remains that Jordan is a country of stability, unlimited
ambition, moderation, a genuine desire to live and let live without interfering
in others' affairs, a huge wealth of brains, a high rate of literacy, and,
above all, a remarkable tendency for excellence, evident in particular in
Jordanians who are recruited to help build other countries.
Building on all of that, the centenary is an opportunity to
highlight these attributes to the world. It is a legitimate PR campaign with
accessible and effective tools, which should evolve into a culture.
We have the substance, the talent, and the right channels to
convey our messages to the world, in tandem and harmony with the domestic
campaign. Producing a documentary in English and other widely spoken languages
scripted by trustworthy historians and produced by top talents is one way to do
it. With the right connections with media organizations worldwide, these
productions will be viewed by dozens, or even hundreds of millions across the
globe. In this context, we need to mobilize our diplomatic missions to connect
the PR campaign with the right target audiences internationally.
Direct messaging, of course, is not the way to do it. A
documentary about an ancient monument, a place, or a national cultural symbol
might do the job without the need to spoon-feed the audience. That is why
intellectuals should handle this mandate, with an unconventional mentality that
grasps the spirit of the age of information and utilizes the psychology of the
masses to make sure that the messages get across. We have to be fair to ourselves
by believing in ourselves first and writing our story with our own hands. No one
will do that on our behalf.
As we brace for this historic responsibility, make no
mistake; this is not the job of government officials alone. All stakeholders
should be part of it, including the private sector, which can contribute
funding to the endeavor, as well as academic and media institutions and
Jordanian communities abroad.
We need to start now, and put our story on the world stage.
Let's do it.
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Opinion & Analysis
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