Queen Rania launches annual Jordan River handicrafts exhibition

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania launched the 23rd annual Jordan River Designs handicrafts exhibition on Tuesday, introducing a new collection of items by the Jordan River Foundation (JRF).

Held at the new Jordan River Designs showroom, the exhibition featured a wide range of handmade items celebrating the traditional and contemporary arts of rural and nomadic Jordan, created by female artisans from local communities.

To date, the JRF’s social enterprise projects have empowered more than 3,000 women and their families, giving them year-round technical and entrepreneurial training through Bani Hamidah Designs, Al Karma Embroidery and Wadi Al Rayan Designs.

Accompanied by JRF Director General Enaam Barrishi, Queen Rania toured the exhibition viewing this year’s collection of home furnishings, gift items, wall hangings, rugs, cushions and fashion accessories, according to a statement sent by Her Majesty’s office.

Drawing inspiration from natural landscapes, Islamic geometric motifs, Arabic calligraphy, the gundelia plant and the ancient city of Petra, the handicrafts incorporated a wide range of techniques, including needlework, embroidery, photography, printmaking and the use of new media.

The launch of the exhibition was also attended by the JRF’s vice chairman of the board of trustees, Amin Khleifat, and a number of supporters of the JRF and Jordan River Designs, including major donor Sheikh Bahaa Hariri.

Established in 1995, the JRF is a Jordanian non-profit, non-governmental organisation chaired by Queen Rania. The foundation operates the Jordan River Child Safety and Jordan River Community Empowerment programmes, and aims to help Jordanians realise their full economic potential and overcome social challenges, the statement said.