Difference between revisions of "Queen Noor of Jordan" - New World Encyclopedia
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Elizabeth (Lisa) Najeeb Halaby was born on August 23, 1951, in Washington, DC, of Arab, Swedish, Scottish, and English descent. In 1978 Ms. Halaby made a drastic change in her life, converting to Islam and marrying Jordan's King Hussein. She became known as Noor al-Hussein, Queen of Jordan, meaning "the light of Hussein." It was a fairy-tale romance until her husband's death from cancer in 1999. King Hussein bin Talal held a unique position in the Middle East, being a pan-Arabist with a deep understanding of Western culture. He was also a consistent political moderate, and a dedicated member of the Nonaligned Movement. The nation of Jordan has been and continues to be a linchpin for Middle East peace efforts. (Miramax Books, 2003, 3) Through the years Queen Noor walked at her husband's side, a partner. She suffered with the nation as they watched him succumb to cancer in 1999. Lisa Halaby made a remarkable transition that would have been difficult for most American women: having grown up in a nation of equal rights and equal voice, she entered a world dominated by men. She served her king and her people with dignity and grace while actively pursuing causes to improve the lives of others. Queen Noor is known internationally for her continued commitment to humanitarian work and international women's rights issues as well as for her longtime campaign against landmines. Family Life and EducationHer Majesty Queen Noor (Arabic: الملكة نور) was born Elizabeth (Lisa) Najeeb Halaby on August 23, 1951, in Washington, DC to an Arab-American family distinguished for its public service. She attended schools in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, New York City, and Concord Academy in Massachusetts, before entering Princeton University in its first co-educational freshman class. [1] She is the eldest daughter of Najeeb Halaby and his wife Doris Carlquist. Her father, who helped to organize NATO under President Harry S. Truman, is a former CEO of Pan-American World Airways, one time head of the Federal Aviation Administration appointed by President John F. Kennedy, and a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. The queen has a younger brother, Christian, and a younger sister, Alexa. Queen Noor's paternal grandfather, Najeeb Elias Halaby, was a Syrian immigrant of Lebanese descent, who immigrated to the United States at the age of 12. An oil broker, he married an interior designer, Laura Wilkins in Texas. Together they founded the successful Halaby Galleries in Dallas. After receiving a B.A. in Architecture and Urban Planning from Princeton University in 1974, Queen Noor worked on international urban planning and design projects in Australia, Iran, Jordan and the United States. During this time she traveled throughout the Arab World to research aviation training facilities. Subsequently, she joined ‘Royal Jordanian’ airline as Director of Planning and Design Projects. [2] Marriage and ChildrenLisa Halaby met King Hussein while working in Jordan on the development of the Amman Intercontinental Airport. Their Majesties, King Hussein and Queen Noor, were married on June 15, 1978. They have two sons: HRH Prince Hamzah, born March 29, 1980, and HRH Prince Hashim, born June 10, 1981, and two daughters: HRH Princess Iman, born April 24, 1983, and HRH Princess Raiyah, born February 9, 1986. Their family also included the children of His Majesty’s previous marriage: Ms. Abir Muheisen, HRH Princess Haya, and HRH Prince Ali. [3] King Hussein, of the direct lineage of the Prophet Muhammad, was known as the voice of reason in the Middle East. He was a ruler who made lifelong efforts to bring peace to this wartorn region. He was a friend to not only the Arab nations, but to Israel as well. Queen Noor shared the same longing for peace in the region and was a constant source of support to her husband. King Hussein died of cancer February 7, 1999 during noon prayers.(Miramax Books, 2003, 432) BeliefsLisa Halaby spent her teenage years in America during the 1960s. This was a time of social-consciousness for her generation and it is reflected in the course of her life. Attending Chapin High School she was afforded the opportunity to perform community service in Harlem New York, tutoring non-English speaking students. During this time she came to understand how difficult it is to break the cycle of ignorance and poverty. Years later she chose to focus her senior architecture and urban planning thesis at Princeton on a community development scheme in Harlem. [4] To this day, she contributes her time and abilities on those projects that work towards alleviating poverty and promoting education and self-sufficiency. As she explained to Larry King of CNN,
Thus, Queen Noor continues to sponsor many projects aimed at increasing educational and work opportunities for Jordanian women. Internationally, she supports U.N. programs for women and children, in addition to her longtime campaign against landmines. ProjectsSince 1978, Queen Noor has initiated, directed, and sponsored projects and activities in Jordan to address specific national development needs in the areas of education, culture, women and children’s welfare, human rights, conflict resolution, community development, environmental and architectural conservation, public architecture, and urban planning. She is also actively involved with international and UN organizations that address global challenges in these fields. Queen Noor has played a major role in promoting international exchange and understanding of Arab-Western relations, Middle Eastern politics, and humanitarian and conflict prevention. Her focus has also included recovery issues throughout the world, such as youth drug abuse, refugees, and disarmament. [6] International ProjectsQueen Noor's projects on the international level include:
EducationThe Jubilee School was launched in 1993 and is an independent, co-educational secondary school for gifted students from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, with special emphasis on students from disadvantaged areas. Queen Noor had this to say describing the mission of Jubilee School,
Environment and ConservationHer Majesty Queen Noor traces her environmental activism back to her freshman year at Princeton University when the first Earth Day was commemorated. She has been an active member of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) since 1978. She became the Patron in April 1996 for her continuous support of the RSCN’s projects and her activism in environmental protection. She also received the 1995 United Nations Environment Program Global 500 Award for her activism and for promoting awareness and initiating community action. For her international efforts she was named Patron of the IUCN World Conservation Union in 1988. She recently joined the board of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Culture and the ArtsQueen Noor, with a committee of volunteers supported by staff and students from Yarmouk University, launched the first Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts in 1981. Since then, the Festival has become an annual cultural landmark in Jordan, attracting hundreds of artists and tens of thousands of visitors every year. YouthQueen Noor supports the following youth projects:
Notable worksIn 2003, Queen Noor published a memoir, Leap of Faith, which became a bestseller. Notes
References
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