Ammon News - Emad Azzam, Head of the Greater Irbid Municipality's committee, met on Monday with a delegation from the Dutch Van Leer Foundation to discuss areas of cooperation aimed at providing a suitable urban environment for early childhood care and supporting caregivers.

Azzam emphasized the importance of providing quality services to citizens of all ages, particularly children and the elderly, and urged the municipality to expand its role to encompass social aspects, focusing on the needs of women, mothers, and their children.

Van Leer’s representative in Jordan, Farah Jadallah, reviewed the Foundation’s key achievements in partnership with the municipality, including the establishment of family and early childhood stations in several municipal parks, the development of Al-Ashrafiyah Park in the Al-Barha area, and capacity-building programs for municipal staff in childcare.

The Foundation’s program coordinator, Alia Rawashdeh, highlighted the inclusive nature of its programs, noting that designing child-friendly cities also ensures they are suitable for all members of society, including the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Director of Parks and Agriculture at the Municipality, Qassim Rousan, stressed the positive impact of the Family and Early Childhood Stations on park visitors and the strong engagement of local communities with related activities.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on upcoming projects that the Foundation plans to implement in cooperation with the municipality, emphasizing the importance of addressing local community needs in Irbid in future plans and policies.