Daod Kuttab + Ali Jadalla 

Princess Basma Bin Ali supports Rotary's Environmental Theme

The 11th Rotary District 2452 Conference was officially opened on

Amman Net - Thursday by HRH Princess Basma Bint Ali in a grand ceremony at the St. Regis Hotel in Amman. The event saw 355 registered attendees from UAE, Lebanon, Cyprus, Georgia, Armenia, Jordan, and Palestine, as well as local dignitaries, diplomats, and guests.

In her keynote speech, Princess Basma Bint Ali praised the Rotary members for their focus on the environment. "Rotary's dedication to service above self has been a beacon of hope for communities worldwide. You will be going beyond service above self by your support to the environment because every single person will be affected by this action no matter how small it is," she stated. Princess Basma, introduced as a "planet hero" by the Master of Ceremonies Hania Kabariti, emphasized the urgency of the situation and our responsibility as global citizens to turn the tide. "We all play a critical role by utilizing solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Nature-based solutions are intertwined with business, and 'think green, live green' can be applied in many disciplines," she noted.

The environmental champion concluded with a call to action, urging all attendees to remain steadfast in their mission to create a better world. "Together, we can overcome any challenge and build a brighter future for generations to come," she said.

Conference chair Farid Musharbash thanked everyone for making the conference a success. "We wanted something different and unique, a full Jordanian experience," he said. Musharbash noted that the conference's environmental awareness theme was applied to all activities and gifts. "We have attempted to spotlight Rotary’s impact on the environment. For us, words are not enough; we wanted to translate them into action."

Rotary District 2452 Governor Bashar Haddad reflected on the past year's challenges and unity. He mentioned making 73 physical and 22 virtual visits throughout the district’s countries. “I patronized 14 training sessions and seminars to equip our members in strategic planning, mental health, and Rotary leadership. The district has approved the spending of $535,000 to address pressing needs, including delivering tents for displaced Palestinians in Gaza via the Hashemite Fund.” Haddad expressed pride in providing a Rotary scholarship for a young Palestinian engineer from Gaza.

Daniel Tanase, Rotary International Director-Elect, addressed the conference, highlighting the increase of clubs by 174 and 30,000 new members, bringing the total to 1.2 million Rotarians. Tanase emphasized hope as the Rotary Club's theme and urged Rotarians to apply it in all activities. “Every time we provide medical help to a child, we give hope. Every time we protect our environment, we create hope.” Tanase called for compassion and understanding within communities. “We are the ones that can make this change and bring hope to those in need.” He concluded with a two-word request: “Stay positive.”

The district conference will continue with lectures and discussions on Friday and Saturday, ending with a gala dinner on Saturday night. Post-conference trips around Jordan are planned, and spouse events are taking  place in parallel.

Please see photos of the conference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gedAQwvatgQ