Festivities to mark 60th anniversary of independence
AMMAN (JT) -- His Majesty King Abdullah will today address the nation on the 60th anniversary of independence, as the government kicks off festivities to mark the occasion and other upcoming national days.
The activities, planned by a special committee headed by Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit, will continue through June 10, when the country will celebrate the 50th Army Day, which marks the Arabisation of the Jordan Armed Forces.
That same day, Jordan will also mark the 90th anniversary of the Great Arab Revolt, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
On June 9, there will be celebrations to mark the 7th anniversary of the King's ascension to the Throne.
The Monarch will deliver today's speech at an event attended by officials and local community leaders, during which he will also honour pioneers and excelling citizens in their respective fields.
The Ministry of Culture will host festivities on May 30 at the Palace of Culture, including an operetta performed by Jordanian artists and traditional dancing by local troupes.
On the anniversary of the King's ascension to the Throne, the private and public sectors will stage a parade of more than 100 vehicles decorated with flowers. The procession will start at the Sports City Circle and proceed through the capital's streets.
On June 10, King Abdullah is scheduled to present achievement medals to military personnel, while he will receive an original banner of the Great Arab Revolt.
The flag, one of only two remaining from the early days of the Revolt, was bought by a Jordanian at a July 12, 2005, auction at Sothebys in London.
It was then given to the Royal Court to be displayed at the Raya Museum, which will be built near the Flagpole, the tallest in the world, in the vicinity of the Royal Court. Lawrence of Arabia took the banner to London in 1920.
The Monarch will also tour an exhibition held by the Children of the Great Arab Revolt Club on the occasion, which will also witness a car procession from Aqaba to Amman organised by the Jordan Sports Federation.
On the same day, the King will act as patron at a military parade organised by the Jordan Armed Forces, which will display old and new military vehicles to highlight the progress witnessed by the army and the police over the decades.
Meanwhile, the Greater Amman Municipality has prepared an assortment of cultural and art festivities, while each of the country's governorates has designed its own programme to celebrate the national occasions.
Within the same context, Amman Governor Saad Manaseer on Wednesday ordered the release of 124 detainees, including four women, out of 227 persons held in "administrative custody," a procedure that falls within the mandate of district governors.
The rest of detainees have "criminal records and are dangerous to the community, while others are charged with car theft and purse snatching," Manaseer told Petra.
In a related development, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdul Fattah Salah announced that 38 mosques across the country would be officially opened as part of the national celebrations. Lectures and seminars have also been planned, as well as the official opening of the second phase of Holy Koran Radio, which now broadcasts recitals around-the-clock.
Meanwhile, a leading Syrian newspaper yesterday featured a report on Jordan's Independence Day.
The Tishreen newspaper said Jordan preserved its "faithfulness to Arab causes and the principles of the Great Arab Revolt," during the reign of King Abdullah.
The pro-government paper highlighted Jordan's economic and other achievements in the past years and King Abdullah's efforts to activate joint Arab action and develop Jordan-Syria ties, including an agreement signed last year to demarcate borders, ending a decades-old problem. The two countries also signed 23 agreements of cooperation in various fields last year.
© Jordan Times 2006
