Alia Toukan: Difference between revisions
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'''Alia Baha ad-Din Touqan''' ({{lang-ar|علياء بھاء الدين طوقان}}) ([[December 25]], [[1948]] - [[February 9]], [[1977]]), was the third |
'''Alia Baha ad-Din Touqan''' ({{lang-ar|علياء بھاء الدين طوقان}}) ([[December 25]], [[1948]] - [[February 9]], [[1977]]), was a Queen consort of Jordan, the third spouse of King [[Hussein of Jordan]]. |
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== Biography == |
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A daughter of Bahauddin Toukan, former Jordanian ambassador to the [[Court of St. James's]], she was born in [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]]. The [[Touqan]] family is a prominent Palestinian family of [[Nablus]]. |
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Alia spent most of her childhood years traveling with her parents during her father’s career in Jordan’s diplomatic corps: she lived in Egypt, Turkey, London, USA and Rome. She attended Church School in London with her younger brother Abdullah. She studied at the Rome Centre of the Loyola University of Chicago, where she studied political science with a minor in social psychology, and public relations at Hunter College in New York. She was interested in sports, writing and wished to be a diplomat. In 1971, she moved to Jordan were she worked for the Royal Jordanian Airlines. She was asked by King Hussein Bin Talal to oversee the preparations for the first International Water Skiing Festival held in Aqaba during September 1972. |
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| ⚫ | She married the king in a private ceremony on [[December 24]], [[1972]], and was titled '''Queen Alia al Hussein''' ({{lang-ar|علياء الحسين}}). They had two children of their own, and adopted a daughter, [[Abir Muhaisen|Abir]], a 5-year-old Palestinian girl whose mother had been killed by a plane crash at a refugee camp near the Amman airport. |
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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 them selves. 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. |
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Alia's love of arts, books and writing inspeired to the establishment of libraries throughout the country including one at the Central Bank of Jordan and the King Hussein Medical City. |
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Her interest in art founded the [[Haya Cultural Centre for Childre]]n, the [[National Folklore Troupe]], and the [[Alia Art Gallery]], and introduced the initial idea for the [[Jerash Festival for the Arts]]. |
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In 1974, she 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. |
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She died in a helicopter crash in [[Amman, Jordan]], and Amman airport was afterwards renamed [[Queen Alia International Airport]]. |
She died in a helicopter crash in [[Amman, Jordan]], and Amman airport was afterwards renamed [[Queen Alia International Airport]]. |
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== Institutions associated with Queen Alia == |
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* '''Securing Political Constitutional Rights for Women''' |
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*'''The SOS Children’s Village''' |
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*'''The Queen Alia Foundation for Hearing and Speech''' |
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*'''The Farah Rehabilitation Unit at the King Hussein Medical City''' |
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*'''The Queen Alia Heart Institute at the King Hussein Medical City''' |
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*'''Tkiyet Umm Ali''' |
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== References == |
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Revision as of 17:31, 26 June 2009
| Alia Baha ed Din Toukan | |
|---|---|
| File:Queenalia.jpg | |
| Queen consort of Jordan | |
| Tenure | December 24, 1972 - February 9, 1977 |
| Spouse | King Hussein |
| Issue | Princess Haya Prince Ali |
| House | Hashemite |
| Father | Bahauddin Touqan |
| Mother | Hanan Hashim |
Alia Baha ad-Din Touqan (Arabic: علياء بھاء الدين طوقان) (December 25, 1948 - February 9, 1977), was a Queen consort of Jordan, the third spouse of King Hussein of Jordan.
Biography
A daughter of Bahauddin Toukan, former Jordanian ambassador to the Court of St. James's, she was born in Cairo, Egypt. The Touqan family is a prominent Palestinian family of Nablus.
Alia spent most of her childhood years traveling with her parents during her father’s career in Jordan’s diplomatic corps: she lived in Egypt, Turkey, London, USA and Rome. She attended Church School in London with her younger brother Abdullah. She studied at the Rome Centre of the Loyola University of Chicago, where she studied political science with a minor in social psychology, and public relations at Hunter College in New York. She was interested in sports, writing and wished to be a diplomat. In 1971, she moved to Jordan were she worked for the Royal Jordanian Airlines. She was asked by King Hussein Bin Talal to oversee the preparations for the first International Water Skiing Festival held in Aqaba during September 1972.
She married the king in a private ceremony on December 24, 1972, and was titled Queen Alia al Hussein (Arabic: علياء الحسين). They had two children of their own, and adopted a daughter, Abir, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl whose mother had been killed by a plane crash at a refugee camp near the Amman airport.
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 them selves. 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 arts, books and writing inspeired to the establishment of libraries throughout the country including one at the Central Bank of Jordan and the King Hussein Medical City. Her interest in art founded the Haya Cultural Centre for Children, the National Folklore Troupe, and the Alia Art Gallery, and introduced the initial idea for the Jerash Festival for the Arts.
In 1974, she 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.
She died in a helicopter crash in Amman, Jordan, and Amman airport was afterwards renamed Queen Alia International Airport.
Institutions associated with Queen Alia
- Securing Political Constitutional Rights for Women
- The SOS Children’s Village
- The Queen Alia Foundation for Hearing and Speech
- The Farah Rehabilitation Unit at the King Hussein Medical City
- The Queen Alia Heart Institute at the King Hussein Medical City
- Tkiyet Umm Ali
References
 | This Jordanian biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |