Queen
Queen Alia developed the role of consort to King Hussein, and founded the office of the Queen of Jordan as an active and public role. The active role of a queen she founded in Jordan has been followed by her successors in that position. She financed social development projects, placing particular emphasis on women and children. She made surprise visits to hospitals and national institutions, aiming to raise standards and help people to help themselves. In her drive to ensure that children from impoverished backgrounds received their right in education, she fostered close ties with schools such as the Schneller School for orphans, which took many street children that Queen Alia sent there: this was a commitment that continued throughout her lifetime and beyond, when King Hussein ensured the continuation of the many educational scholarships given in her name.
Alia's love of the arts and literature inspired the establishment of libraries throughout the country, including one at the Central Bank of Jordan and another in the King Hussein Medical City. Her interest in the arts led to the founding of the Haya Cultural Centre for Children, the National Folklore Troupe and the Alia Art Gallery. It was also instrumental in conceiving the Jerash Festival for the Arts.
In 1974, Alia called for women to be granted the right to elect and be elected for parliament. On 4 April 1974, a law was promulgated granting women this right; however the suspension of parliamentary life in Jordan between 1974 and 1989 prevented its implementation.
In 1976, Alia received the Great Star of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria.
Alia died in a helicopter crash in Amman, Jordan, and Amman airport was subsequently renamed Queen Alia International Airport.
Read more about this topic: Alia Al-Hussein
Famous quotes containing the word queen:
“And thus Snow White became the prince’s bride.
The wicked queen was invited to the wedding feast
and when she arrived there were
red-hot iron shoes,
in the manner of red-hot roller skates,
clamped upon her feet.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
““Speak when you’re spoken to!” the Queen sharply interrupted her.
“But if everybody obeyed that rule,” said Alice, who was always ready for a little argument, “and if you only spoke when you were spoken to, and the other person always waited for you to begin, you see nobody would ever say anything, so that—””
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898)
“We used chamber-pots a good deal.... My mother ... loved to repeat: “When did the queen reign over China?” This whimsical and harmless scatological pun was my first introduction to the wonderful world of verbal transformations, and also a first perception that a joke need not be funny to give pleasure.”
—Angela Carter (1940–1992)