Tuesday, January 10, 2006
If I had to choose the best slogan of 2005 it should be this drawing by Imad Hajjaj following the 9/11 bombings in Amman. This drawing has been widely used in Jordan and was facilitating a new process of developing a collective ownership of the unity in Jordan.
The drawing sends a direct message of unity, strength and resilience, which were the direct outcomes of the terrorism attacks. This has been reflected by many demonstrations and activities in the kingdom, in which youth participated actively. Those events and demonstrations were unique since they were the first to raise a true Jordanian cause instead of "supporting" Saddam Hussein, Syria and Hamas.
The sad thing is that such awareness and national unity was only short-lived. There has not been any frameworks in which the people rallying behind the Jordan unity were organized within, and I am afraid this bubble is burst now.
It is obvious that we need to build a "political/ social" movement in Jordan that brings together all Jordanian youth who love the country, land and people of Jordan and not engulfed in the static thinking of classical political parties. However, the odds are not in the favor of such option, since the higher voices are those of ideologists. The reform process in Jordan is in big need of a strong social base and youth are supposed to provide such a base.
It is so disappointing that the moment of national unity expressed in the aftermath of the 9/11 has faded away and it gives a lesson for all political and social activists in this country to think of a way to keep the momentum so elegantly reflected by this slogan.
We are all Jordan
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On January, 16, 2006 1:29 AM , Batir Wardam
said:
Thanks One Devotion. Your comments are re-inforcing and stimulating trust. This process of solidifying the national identity should be sustainable but unfortunately we do not have dedicated institutions to do this. Maybe it should grow from the grassroots someday.
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Batir; I visited Jordan shortly after the tragic events and I will admit I was very impressed in the campaign and the "We are all Jordan" graphic/slogan. My view is that is very important to work in communicating a positive image, especially for the younger generations in Jordan. After my 5 day visit to Jordan, I left thinking that they are handling the situation of ignorance and hatred in a correct manner.