Wijdan Ali
Encyclopedia
Princess Wijdan Ali was born in Baghdad, Iraq. She is the ex-wife of Prince 'Ali bin Naif of Jordan.
She received her B.A.
in history from Beirut University College
in 1961, while studying art privately. She received a Ph.D.
in Islamic art from the University of London
in 1993.
In her art she develops the traditions of Arabic calligraphy in a modern format and forms part of the contemporary school of Arabic calligraphic painting. Her work, which has won award
s in Belgium
and France
, is found in museum
s and private collections internationally. She has participated in the cross cultural cooperation " the Dance of Visions" in Gothenburg Sweden, invited by the Swedish artist Ragnhild Lundén /ref.
Princess Wijdan Ali is founder of the Royal Society of Fine Arts and of the Jordan National Gallery.
She is also founder and dean of the newly established Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of Jordan
.
She was the first woman to enter the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jordan (1962) and also the first woman delegate to represent Jordan at United Nations
meetings and the first woman diplomat at the United Nations General Assembly
.
Princess Wijdan Bint Fawwaz Muhana took the oath of office as Jordan's new ambassador to Italy before King Abdullah II on October 3, 2006.
Sharifa Wijdan bint Fawaz was married to Prince 'Ali Azim bin Naif of Jordan on April 11, 1966 in Amman, Jordan. Upon her marriage she became Princess Wijdan 'Ali of Jordan
Prince 'Ali is the son of Prince Naif bin Abdullah of Jordan and his wife Princess Mehrimah Sultana of Turkey, daughter of Major-General Prince Sultan Muhammad Zia ud-din Effendi of Turkey, GCVO.
Princess Na'afa bint 'Ali. b. 27 December 1966. Mngr. Al-Kutaifa Estate.
Princess Rajwa bint 'Ali. b. at Amman, 29 June 1968. Artist and sculptor. Hon. Presdt. Balqa Plastic Arts Soc. Mbr. Brd. of Trustees National Gallery of Fine Arts.
Major Princess Basma Fatima bint 'Ali. b. 24 March 1970, educ. RMA Sandhurst, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., Massachusetts, USA. cmsnd. 2nd-Lieut. Jordan Arab Army, prom. Maj., head of the Human Resources Dvsn. Chair. Jordan Royal Ecological Diving Soc. (JREDS) since 1993, National Environment and Wildlife Soc. (NEWS) since 1996, Royal Soc. for the Conservation of Marine Environment, Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Dvpt,. and the Red Crescent Soc. Hon. Presdt. Fertile Crescent Soc. of the Middle East, and the Planetary Coral Reef Foundn. (California, USA); Founder and President of the Pilot Phase Assessment Cttee. of Jordan for the Global Environmental Facility. Mbr. Soc. for the Preservation of Jordanian Heritage, RAC of Jordan, and of the Brd. of Dirs. Halfway House for Juvenile Delinquents (Boston, USA). Rcvd: Order of Merit from the Jordanian Armed Forces (1998), the King Hussein Gold Medal for Excellence, and the Medal of Administrative Competence (1995). m. 2004, Amjad Farrah, Jordanian International Rally Champion and FIA Middle East Championship for Drivers 2004.
She received her B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in history from Beirut University College
Lebanese American University
The Lebanese American University is a secular, private and independent American university located in Lebanon...
in 1961, while studying art privately. She received a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Islamic art from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1993.
In her art she develops the traditions of Arabic calligraphy in a modern format and forms part of the contemporary school of Arabic calligraphic painting. Her work, which has won award
Award
An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signifiedby trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons...
s in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, is found in museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
s and private collections internationally. She has participated in the cross cultural cooperation " the Dance of Visions" in Gothenburg Sweden, invited by the Swedish artist Ragnhild Lundén /ref.
Princess Wijdan Ali is founder of the Royal Society of Fine Arts and of the Jordan National Gallery.
She is also founder and dean of the newly established Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of Jordan
University of Jordan
The University of Jordan , is a government-supported University located in Amman, Jordan...
.
She was the first woman to enter the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jordan (1962) and also the first woman delegate to represent Jordan at United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
meetings and the first woman diplomat at the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
.
Princess Wijdan Bint Fawwaz Muhana took the oath of office as Jordan's new ambassador to Italy before King Abdullah II on October 3, 2006.
Family and marriage
Princess Wijdan was born Sharifa Wijdan bint Fawaz on August 29, 1939 in Baghdad, Iraq to the noted architect Sharif Fawwaz al-Muhanna and his wife Sharifa Nafi'a bint Jamil 'Ali. Sharifa Wijdan's mother was a member of the Hashemite family and sister of Sharifa Zein bint Jamil 'Ali who would later become Queen Zein al-Sharaf of Jordan (mother of the late King Hussein). She is a descendant of The Prophet Mohammed.Sharifa Wijdan bint Fawaz was married to Prince 'Ali Azim bin Naif of Jordan on April 11, 1966 in Amman, Jordan. Upon her marriage she became Princess Wijdan 'Ali of Jordan
Prince 'Ali is the son of Prince Naif bin Abdullah of Jordan and his wife Princess Mehrimah Sultana of Turkey, daughter of Major-General Prince Sultan Muhammad Zia ud-din Effendi of Turkey, GCVO.
Children
Prince Mohammed al-Abbas bin 'Ali. born on 17 February 1973. married to Princess Sima Abbas (Ghanem) who has a Bachelor Degree in Commerce from McGill University, Montreal, Canada (B.Com. 1998). She is now one of the owners of The Linen Closet. Both Prince Abbas and Princess Sima have one son and two daughters:- Prince Hamzah al-Abbas. born in Amman, 16 April 2007.
- Princess Rania al-Abbas. born in Amman, 22 March 2004.
- Princess Karma al-Abbas. born in Amman, 26 August 2002.
Princess Na'afa bint 'Ali. b. 27 December 1966. Mngr. Al-Kutaifa Estate.
Princess Rajwa bint 'Ali. b. at Amman, 29 June 1968. Artist and sculptor. Hon. Presdt. Balqa Plastic Arts Soc. Mbr. Brd. of Trustees National Gallery of Fine Arts.
Major Princess Basma Fatima bint 'Ali. b. 24 March 1970, educ. RMA Sandhurst, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., Massachusetts, USA. cmsnd. 2nd-Lieut. Jordan Arab Army, prom. Maj., head of the Human Resources Dvsn. Chair. Jordan Royal Ecological Diving Soc. (JREDS) since 1993, National Environment and Wildlife Soc. (NEWS) since 1996, Royal Soc. for the Conservation of Marine Environment, Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Dvpt,. and the Red Crescent Soc. Hon. Presdt. Fertile Crescent Soc. of the Middle East, and the Planetary Coral Reef Foundn. (California, USA); Founder and President of the Pilot Phase Assessment Cttee. of Jordan for the Global Environmental Facility. Mbr. Soc. for the Preservation of Jordanian Heritage, RAC of Jordan, and of the Brd. of Dirs. Halfway House for Juvenile Delinquents (Boston, USA). Rcvd: Order of Merit from the Jordanian Armed Forces (1998), the King Hussein Gold Medal for Excellence, and the Medal of Administrative Competence (1995). m. 2004, Amjad Farrah, Jordanian International Rally Champion and FIA Middle East Championship for Drivers 2004.
External links
- Bio on ircica.org
- Interview in Nafas art magazine
- Anne Mullin Burnham, 1994, Reflections in Women's Eyes, Saudi Aramco World