Queen Rania commends role of youth volunteers in visit to Irbid foundation

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Monday met with members of Muhafazati Volunteering Foundation in Irbid, and thanked youth volunteers for working hard to create lasting impact in their communities.

Speaking with a group of Muhafazati members and beneficiaries at Dar Al Saraya Museum in downtown Irbid, Queen Rania relayed His Majesty King Abdullah’s regards to the people of Irbid, highlighting their contributions to Jordan’s development and their generosity and keenness to support others.

A non-profit organisation that aims to empower Jordanian youth and foster active citizenship, Muhafazati promotes young people’s involvement in volunteering and awareness-building activities, helping them become active and socially conscious members of society, according to a statement sent by Her Majesty’s office.

Commending the role that Muhafazati and other Jordanian youth volunteer groups play in inspiring determination in addressing the nation’s challenges, Queen Rania explained that Jordan’s economic hardships can only be overcome through solidarity and hard work.

“Your work has helped close the gaps and end the isolation of different segments of society, bringing everyone closer together,” Queen Rania said, lauding the foundation for its focus on youth empowerment and skill building.

During the meeting, Muhafazati founder Abdullah Bani Hani explained that the foundation connects youth with local organisations to increase their engagement in issues relating to their own communities. He also noted that establishing a culture of volunteerism among Jordanian youth boosts their self-confidence and strengthens their sense of belonging to their country.

Queen Rania also heard from a number of youth, who shared their firsthand experiences of how Muhafazati’s skill-building and networking activities helped them find jobs and launch small income-generating projects of their own. In turn, Queen Rania affirmed that all youth have the right to work and underscored the importance of engaging with young people to identify the skills demanded by the labour market and help them acquire them.

Her Majesty explained that, in addition to the need to create more jobs for youth, another challenge Jordan faces is the spread of misinformation and rumours, which can lead to widespread negativity, impact Jordan’s investment environment and cause citizens to lose faith in themselves and in the country’s institutions.

She added that young people can play a role in refuting rumours by raising awareness and correcting misinformation.

The Queen also noted that Jordanians’ achievements and skills, which have enabled them to overcome many hardships, are often overshadowed by negativity. Nevertheless, Jordan and its people are respected around the world for all that their young men and women have accomplished in spite of the country’s limited resources, Her Majesty concluded.

Queen Rania was welcomed by Dar Saraya Museum Director Amjad Batayneh and local musical group, MedeArts, who kicked off the day’s events with a musical performance. Comprised of artists from underprivileged areas, MedeArts aims to raise the profile of local musicians and support the development of their talents.

Following the meeting, Queen Rania also met with a group of female beneficiaries of Muhafazati’s “Hirfati” initiative, which trains underprivileged women to create and market their own handicrafts.

Established in 2014, Muhafazati has implemented several other projects in Irbid and across the country, including book-gifting and anti-littering campaigns, charity drives, skill-building projects to help Jordanian youth secure employment and an awareness-building project on the dangers of extremism.

Muhafazati’s latest project, which was launched last summer, strives to increase social media literacy and promote responsible use of online platforms, according to the statement.