Day: 3 October 2024

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, on Thursday made a phone call with the Syrian Vice President Faisal Mekdad, over efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis, aimed to preserve Syria’s unity and cohesion, restore its security and stability, and prepare the conditions for the voluntary return of refugees.

Safadi and Mekdad discussed the outcomes of the meeting held by Safadi with Syrian Foreign Minister, Bassam Sabbagh, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) in New York on September 28, 2024, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

During the call, Safadi congratulated Mekdad on assuming his new position as Syria’s Vice President.

Safadi and Mekdad also went over the dangerous escalation in the region, stressing the need to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza, Lebanon and the Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank.

The two officials discussed a number of bilateral issues, and agreed to maintain jo
int communication channels to develop bilateral relations and efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis, the statement pointed out.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Palestinian Ministry of Education in the Gaza Strip documented the martyrdom of 11,600 Palestinian school-age children, and the injury of thousands with injuries, physical disabilities and psychological trauma, during a year of Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

The ministry said in a statement that the occupation deprived 650,000 male and female students from attending their schools for the second academic year in a row, in addition to 100,000 male and female students in higher education institutions, and nearly 35,000 children in kindergartens.

It indicated the martyrdom of more than 750 teachers, educational and administrative employees, 130 scientists, academics and university professors, and the injury of hundreds of workers and employees in the Ministry of Education, while the fate of hundreds remains unknown.

The ministry reported that 93% of school buildings, rehabilitation and training centers, production and educational technology centers, and other buildings affiliated with the ministry w
ere completely or almost completely damaged.

It noted that the occupation directly and deliberately targeted the administrative and academic buildings and facilities affiliated with higher education institutions, destroying more than 130 facilities in universities, colleges, and institutes in the Gaza Strip.

The ministry expressed its concern about the seriousness of the occupation’s continued crimes against the education sector, and the continued deprivation of children and students of their right to protection and safe education.

It called for effective international and human rights steps to ensure the protection of children and educational facilities, and to pressure the occupation to stop its crimes against the education sector, and to hold it accountable for its crimes before international bodies.

The Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip entered its 363rd day, leaving 41,788 martyrs and 96,794 wounded, the majority of whom are children and women, amid the continuation of Israeli air strikes on all g
overnorates of the Strip, and the continued deepening of the humanitarian crisis experienced by the residents of the Strip.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Minister of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Azmi Mahafzeh, took part in ICESCO Education Ministers Conference in Muscat, Oman.

During his participation in the first day of the third session on “Green Education: A Sustainable Future for All,” Mahafzeh spoke about Jordan’s educational initiatives on climate.

The minister said the Kingdom has joined the Education for sustainable development (ESD), as well as its membership in the Green Education Partnership (GEP).

The minister referred to the activities and projects of the ALECSO and UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet), and activities implemented by schools in Jordan, primarily the Eco-Schools Program, “I Belong to My School”, and other events in Jordanian universities.

The minister noted the use of technology to integrate climate change education into the transformation of education systems by launching e-learning platforms, the Internet, and artificial intelligence applications, creating interactive content, and developing e
ducational games that present climate and environmental issues in an “interesting and motivating” way to make environmental decisions in virtual landscapes.

Furthermore, he noted the participation of teachers and students in global projects online to exchange ideas on climate change and environmental issues, which would develop digital curricula and integrate related concepts in basic and higher education.

The minister stressed the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, which is “vital” to keep pace with technological development and improve the education quality.

In this context, Mahafzeh called for developing digital infrastructure in schools to enable AI to contribute to improve the educational quality and raise the level of the students’ academic achievement.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The State of Qatar has wrapped up its participation in the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) Education Ministers Conference, in Muscat, Oman.

HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Naimi represented the State of Qatar at the conference, held under the title “Beyond Transforming Education Summit: from Commitments to Actions”.

HE Al Naimi commended the State of Qatar’s leading national and global initiatives that showed the country’s commitment to tangible education transformation.

Among Qatar’s efforts in this context were hosting the May 2022 consultative regional meeting of education ministers in the Arab region and West Asia, and development partners and its $1.6 million co-funding of the Transforming Education Summit under a deal between the Qatar Fund for Development, the Education Above All Foundation, and the UNESCO.

Dr. Al Naimi spoke about the major challenges to education in some parts of the Islamic wor
ld amid mounting conflicts and humanitarian crises, stressing the State of Qatar’s commitment to enhancing the protection of education from attacks.

The EAA initiatives provided educational support to poor and conflict-affected areas and the State of Qatar’s efforts drove the UNGA to adopt a resolution proposed by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, to designate Sep. 9 as the annual International Day to Protect Education from Attack, he added.

Attended by OIC ministers of education and higher education, heads of international organizations and bodies, and civil society institutions concerned with education, technology, and innovation, the two-day event discussed the topics of transforming education in the Islamic world, greening education, AI and digital transformation role in accelerating education transformation, and education in crises and emergencies.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Royal Jordanian Geographic Center (RJGC), in partnership with the Department of Lands and Survey (DLS), launched a project on Thursday to establish reference stations for continuous monitoring, aimed at enhancing land management in Jordan.

Supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the initiative seeks to collect “precise, sustainable” data for improved urban planning, natural resource management, map production, and other location-based surveying activities, such as real estate surveying, geodesy, and land navigation. It also aims to prevent natural disasters by monitoring the movement of the Earth’s crust.

Osama Asmar, RJGC Deputy Director General, said the establishment of permanent monitoring stations is a “strategic” move towards “sustainable” development, strengthening the national geospatial infrastructure for both public and private sectors.

Morihata Shingo, Chief Representative of JICA’s Jordan Office, highlighted JICA’s mission to support economic and social growth, reaffirmi
ng the agency’s commitment to further cooperation on “advanced” regional projects.

Meanwhile, Firas Jaroun from the DLS underscored the project’s importance for urban planning and its role in laying the groundwork for Amman’s transformation into a smart city.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Arab League (AL) Council on Thursday condemned in the strong terms the sustained and barbaric Israeli aggression on Lebanon.

The decision issued by the Council’s extraordinary session at the level of permanent delegates stressed the need to stop the aggression immediately.

HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the Arab League, Ambassador Tariq Ali Faraj Al Ansari represented the State of Qatar at the meeting, held at AL General Secretariat headquarters in Cairo at the request of the Republic of Iraq and the Republic of Lebanon.

The Council warned of the unrelenting Israeli aggression’s grave repercussions on the security and safety of the peoples of the region, considering any incursion or occupation of part of Lebanese territory an attack on Arab national security.

The Council affirmed its full solidarity with Lebanon in the face of the aggression that killed thousands of civilians, including children, women, elderly people and paramedics, critically wounded thousands, and forced over one
million people out of their homes.

The aggression levelled entire cities and villages and the burned vast areas of agricultural land, in a flagrant war crime against humanity in violation of international covenants, treaties and international humanitarian law, the Council said.

The Council also announced support for mechanisms and efforts to hold Israel accountable for these crimes and legally prosecute it before international forums and courts.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Director General of the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Khaled Abu Hammour, and Hungarian Ambassador Attila Kali, held discussions on Thursday aimed at boosting joint cooperation in agricultural scientific research and technology transfer to enhance food security.

During the meeting, Abu Hammour highlighted the Ministry of Agriculture’s efforts to attract “innovative” investments and facilitate the integration of modern technology for development.

Furthermore, he praised Hungary’s expertise in biotechnology, nanotechnology, tissue culture, fish farming, and agricultural mechanization, emphasizing the potential to provide the Hungarian market with Jordanian agricultural products during the winter, as well as high-quality olive oil and Medjool dates.

Meanwhile, Kali commended NARC’s regional reputation and expressed Hungary’s interest in fostering cooperation, particularly in scientific research to address climate change.

Kali also proposed forming a research team from NARC to visit Hungarian
research centers and collaborate on joint projects to advance the agricultural sectors of both nations.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The State of Qatar has participated in the opening of the International Cybersecurity Forum, which was held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

The State of Qatar was represented in the Forum by HE Chairman of the National Cybersecurity Agency Eng. Abdulrahman bin Ali Al Farahid Al Maliki.

His Excellency also participated in the high-level roundtable meeting, in the presence of a number of heads of cybersecurity agencies from various countries around the world.

During a discussion session in the forum, Director of National Cybersecurity Operations Affairs at the National Cybersecurity Agency Ahmed Mohammed Al Hammadi, reviewed the State of Qatar’s pioneering experience in securing major events and activities cyber-wise.

Source: Qatar News Agency