"CULTURE" PRESS RELEASES

Queen Noor honors winner of Europe-Mediterranean Partnership competition for young writers.

Monday 16 February 1998

Her Majesty Queen Noor Monday met with Mr. Najeh Abu Zein, who won the award of the European-Mediterranean Partnership Competition for young writers, at the Noor Al Hussein Foundation (NHF). Queen Noor expressed her pride in Mr. Abu Zein’s achievements, whose contributions as a script writer, actor and workshop leader at the NHF’s Performing Arts Center have contributed greatly to the success of the Center’s projects. Mr. Najeh’s script named "intersection area" portrays the "conflict between those who are secluded, introverted and isolated from other cultures for purely religious and cultural differences and others who are not. It stresses the necessity of unity and intercommunication." The Competition entitled "joining sea", which featured the works of 219 writers between the ages of 17 – 35 from 20 countries, aims to enhance the European-Mediterranean partnership launched in Barcelona in 1995 that called for greater co-operation in social, cultural and human affairs.

Mr. Abu Zein joined the NHF in 1990 and worked as an Administrative and Artistic Assistant to the Director of the Performing Arts Center. He participated as a script writer in the NHF award winning musical "Al-Sawsana" and children’s TV program "The Magic Flute", which also won a silver medal from the 1997 Tunis International Contest.

Earlier Queen Noor chaired the bimonthly Executive Committee meeting at the NHF, which approved the proposed organizational restructuring of the NHF. According to NHF Executive Director Dr. Sima Bahous "it will accommodate new development thinking and will ensure that NHF projects continue to be responsive to Jordan’s development needs and to work towards sustainability and self-reliance with the overall object of improving the quality of life of Jordanians." The restructuring is based on the results of different studies carried out by the International Labor Organization (ILO), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Jordan Institute of Public Administration (JAIPA) and the United Group Consulting and Management Company (UG).