Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, President of El Hassan Science City (EHSC), and President of the Royal Scientific Society, received in Rome the international prize "Lazio between Europe and the Mediterranean".

It is the first time this prize is bestowed upon a Jordanian.

In her acceptance speech, at the ceremony which took place in the Complesso del Vittoriano, Rome, HRH said the prize comes as recognition of the outstanding role which Jordan plays in world cultural and scientific mobility.

She also stressed the importance of interaction and dialogue between cultures as a foundation for building a better future for humanity.

HRH dedicated the prize to her father HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal.

The Jury for the prize said that HRH Princess Sumaya "intensely promotes cross cultural dialogue, and technological and scientific development, by building on the principle of investing in the human capital that captures Jordanian innovation and entrepreneurship focused on developing solutions to critical issues of human survival and dignity that transcend the boundaries of politics and religion, through the message of ‘Science for Peace’.

" "For her deep passion and dedication, for all her work with the aim of supporting culture and science in Jordan, and for her firm belief that knowledge has to be placed in the service of peace and progress, the Jury confers this award on HRH Princess Sumaya Bint El Hassan with great honour and pleasure," the Jury added.

Other awardees were the well known Egyptian writer and novelist Gamal El Ghitani, Ferzan Ozpetek (Turkey), Michalis Pieris (Cyprus), Rabah Zaimeche (France), Tonko Maroevic (Croatia), Rita El Khayat (Morocco), and Juliao Sarmento (Portugal).

The ceremony was attended by HRH Princess Wijdan, the Ambassador of Jordan to Italy, a large number of Arab and foreign ambassadors, officials and eminent personalities from Europe and the Mediterranean.

Miss Zein el Sharaf Judeh accompanied her mother Princess Sumaya to the ceremony.

Building on their long history and tradition of achievement, HRH Princess Sumaya began working on transforming the Royal Scientific Society, the Princess Sumaya University for Technology and the Higher Council for Science and Technology, and the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship into the ‘El Hassan Science City’ (EHSC), Jordan’s first science park.

The EHSC was inaugurated by His Majesty King Abdullah II on 17 April 2007 with the aim of achieving greater socio-economic development through investments in education and research.

As founder of EHSC, Her Royal Highness continues the tradition of institutional building started by her father in order to place science and technology in the service of humanity under the motto of "Science for Peace".

Pursuant to its original mission, the Lazio initiative seeks to further the process of fostering understanding and dialogue amongst the countries on the Mediterranean.

The prize is usually awarded to eminent personalities of international renown from the countries on the Mediterranean in recognition of their outstanding contributions to culture, dialogue, the visual arts, cinema, music, the economy, scientific research and the promotion of universal values for the development of a society based on the free exchange of views, respect for cultural identity and equality amongst peoples.

* Source: Petra