The Sharhabil Bin Hassneh Eco Park
On 30 October in Jordan, the Garden of the Good will be inaugurated, it is the result of the collaboration between Gariwo and EcoPeace Middle East, supported by the Embassy of Italy in Amman. EcoPeace Middle East is the organization that unites Jordanian, Israeli, and Palestinian environmentalists to protect the environment and the peaceful cooperation towards sustainable development.
The garden is housed in Sharhabil Bin Hassneh Eco Park, a nature reserve created in 2004 in the Jordan Valley by a group of volunteers, who have revitalized the area by providing eco-friendly facilities for hosting tourists and coordinate educational activities for young people.
The seven figures honoured in the Garden of the Good, chosen in agreement with the Ministry of Culture of Jordan, have distinguished themselves in the struggle against terrorism and the defense of the environment and the heritage culture and contributed to the transformation of society. Among them stands out the figure of the archway pilot burned alive by ISIS jihadists, which EcoPeace remembers with these words: "He accepted death to defend us, his heroism and courage faced with a painful death will always remain in the memory of humanity. His duty to ensure the dignity and safety of his people were more important than life itself.”
An important political exponent, two women's and children's rights activists, an entrepreneur, a writer and an artist will be also remembered with him.
The Garden of the Good is added to the two Gardens of the Righteous created by Gariwo in the Middle East, that of Neve Shalom - Wahat el Salam ("Peace oasis in Hebrew and Arabic") in Israel in 2015 and Tunis in 2016.
Program:
Monday 30 October:
H.11 AM Sharhabil Bin Hassneh Eco Park
Inauguration of the Garden of the Good and Discovering the Seven Plates
Tuesday 31 October:
H.12 AM Embassy of Italy in Amman
Ceremony with plaque discovery in memory of this initiative
Both ceremonies will be attended by the Ambassador of Italy in Amman Giovanni Brauzzi, the Jordanian Minister of Culture and Local Authorities, Gariwo Chairman Gabriele Nissim, EcoPeace Middle East representatives and Corriere della Sera's editorialist Antonio Ferrari.
The figures honoured at the Garden of the Good:
Moath Al Kasasbeh (1988-2015), official, fighter pilot of the Jordanian Aeronautical Regiment, was captured and burned alive in a cage by ISIS in 2015. The images of his brutal killing have upset the entire world and provoked the immediate Jordanian reaction against jihadists.
Wasfi Al Tal (1919-1971), a Jordanian politician, three times Prime Minister between 1962 and 1971, gave impetus to agriculture, fought corruption and made education for young people compulsory. He was assassinated in Cairo in 1971 by Black September.
Rox bin Al Azizi (1903-2004), writer and first Jordanian journalist. He was president of the Jordanian Writers Association and a member of the International Association of Human Rights. He has received the most important awards for his commitment to the preservation and diffusion of Jordanian cultural heritage.
Haifa'a Al Bashir (1931-present), a Jordanian activist for women's and children's rights, she has founded an orphanage in 1970 and chaired the Jordanian Women's Union. She has given birth to various initiatives for assistance to the elderly and the needy and has also received numerous awards for the contribution given to Jordanian society.
Zaha Jarnadaneh Manko, a Jordanian children rights activist, she is the founder of the Zaha Cultural Center for Children, a state-of-the-art center for the physical, mental, and emotional growth of the youngest.
Anis Mansour Muasher (1932-2001), pioneer of the Jordanian pharmaceutical industry, he has served as Minister for Transport and Finance and has been the founder of the Royal Society for Conservation of Nature and member of the Arab Center for Human Rights. He is committed to the protection and safeguard of the environment.
Ismail Khader (1939-2015), the "giant of the Jordanian song", through music he has celebrated the poetry and culture of his country.