Jordan pays tribute to King Hussein

AMMAN — Jordan on Saturday marked the 80th anniversary of the birth of His Majesty the late King Hussein.

On the occasion, His Majesty King Abdullah received cables from senior officials and officers.

HRH Crown Prince Hussein also received similar cables on the occasion, the statement added.

The officials paid tribute to King Hussein and his dedication to Jordanians and to building the country’s national institutions which made it a model in the region and the world.

King Hussein died at the age of 63 on February 7, 1999 following a battle with cancer.

At the time of his death, King Hussein was the longest serving executive head of state in the world.

A direct descendant of Prophet Mohammad, King Hussein was born on November 14, 1935 as the eldest son of King Talal and Queen Zein Al Sharaf.

He studied at the Islamic Scientific College and then enrolled at Victoria College in Alexandria. In 1951, he entered Harrow College in England before receiving his military education at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England, from which he graduated in 1953.

Hussein was proclaimed King of Jordan on August 11, 1952 and a Regency Council was appointed until his formal accession to the Throne on May 2, 1953, when he assumed his constitutional powers after reaching the age of 18, according to the Islamic lunar calendar.

Throughout his five-decade rule, he worked to raise the living standards of his people, and during his reign, the literacy rate rose dramatically.

He also sought throughout his reign to promote peace in the Middle East.

Enhancing joint Arab coordination was a priority for King Hussein, who believed that resolving outstanding issues and conflicts between Arab countries should be done through upholding the higher Arab interest and believing in the common destiny of the Arab nation.