Diary
AMMAN (Petra) - The Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) has recently signed an agreement with the Euro-Mediterranean Association for Cooperation and Development (EMA) to strengthen cooperation in the fields of trade and investment between Jordan and Germany. Signed by ACC Chairman Riad Saifi and EMA’s President Horst Siedentopf on the sidelines of the Hamburg Logistics Forum, the agreement seeks to enhance business cooperation through exchanging ex....
The General Assembly held the Annual General meeting for the Arab Orphan Committee by the president of the Executive Committee Tayseer Kna'an. The partcipants discussed the activities of the Assembly in Jordan and Palestine and the most important development projects
The Committee of Training Courses and Continuing Education at Bar Association held a seminar about the environmental legislation between the legal concepts and practical application, it was attended by a large number of lawyers and those who are interested in the environmental field.
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'Salma and Lily' hits bookshelves across Arab world
Her Majesty Queen Rania on Monday read excerpts from her children's picture book "The Sandwich Swap", titled "Salma and Lily" in Arabic, to children in the capital.
During a visit to the Zaha Cultural Centre (ZCC) in Amman yesterday, Her Majesty distributed copies of "Salma and Lily" to the children.
The Arabic edition of the book made its debut at bookstores across the Middle East this week, giving children a chance to read it in both Arabic and English.
Launched in April, 2010, "The Sandwich Swap" topped the New York Times bestseller list for two consecutive weeks.
Based on Her Majesty's own childhood experiences, the story revolves around two schoolmates and best friends, Lily and Salma, who start appreciating the cultural differences between them after swapping peanut butter and hummus sandwiches.
The symbolic story aims to instil in children the values of respect, tolerance, acceptance of the other and open-mindedness.
Her Majesty asked the children what they learned from the book, and one boy said he learnt not to "judge" people by their appearance, something the Queen stressed, and encouraged the children to do.
All of Her Majesty's proceeds from "Salma and Lily" will go to Madrasati Jordan, which aims to rehabilitate 500 public schools in need of repair.
Following the "story time", Queen Rania toured the centre's newest extension, along with Zaha Mango, and was briefed by ZCC Director Rania Sbeih on their activities and the facilities they provide.
During the tour, Her Majesty joined a group of six- to eight-year-old children, who were making handicrafts and clay sculptures as part of summer camp activities organised by the centre, which serves up to 2,000 children during the school vacation.
Her Majesty also watched some children playing on the centre's soccer field, one of the many facilities it offers the local community. The children and their trainers told Her Majesty about their love for the game, and the skills they learnt at the centre.
The Queen also visited the newly established "Shop", where items made by the children are sold to generate income for both the children and the charity centre.
At the Shop, two children presented Her Majesty with a gift - a mosaic piece made by a group of children at the centre. She also watched part of a performance by a team of dancers.
The ZCC's new extension includes a theatre as well as a psychological counselling centre, where Her Majesty witnessed an ongoing workshop for 10 women, titled "Dealing with Life Matters".
The workshop seeks to improve the women's skills in dealing with the stress of their daily lives. When asked by Her Majesty about their feedback, the participants said the workshop was beneficial to them and their families.