Abu-Ghazaleh thanks UNRWA for its assistance to the Palestinian refugees

UNRWA celebrates the inauguration of its new Jordan Field Office building in during its 60th Anniversary activities.

 
Amman, Jordan - Wednesday, September 16, 2009 -- Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman and Founder of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) addressed the UNRWA ceremony on the inauguration of its Jordan Field Office marking its 60th Anniversary, held in the new UNRWA premises recently built in the western parts of Amman.

Among the distinguished guests of the ceremony was H.E. Salim Khazaleh, Minister of State for Legal Affairs.
Mrs. Karen Abu Zayd, the UNRWA Commissioner-General, in her statement to the ceremony, thanked Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh for joining the UNRWAs celebration. She namely recognized Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh as the student who earned the only one UNRWA scholarship at American University of Beirut (AUB) awarded to the top Palestinian student in the Lebanese high school official examination (Baccalaureate II). Mrs. Abu Zayd thanked and commended the hosting countries as permanent donor countries. She also thanked the donor countries and the international community for their efforts; and confirmed the importance of the UNRWA and the continuation of its vital and significant role to the Palestinian refugees. She urged the donor countries to provide more support and assistance to UNRWA so that it can continue its work and services to the Palestinian refugees.

H.E. Salim Khazaleh, Minister of State for Legal Affairs, in his statement to the ceremony, noted that the Jordanian Government is watching with concern the current conditions of the UNRWA as a result of the continued huge gap between its financial requirements necessary to achieve its goals and its income resources. The gap caused reduction in its services and lead to the belt-tightening measures started by the UNRWA. He added that the daily reduction in services has come at a time when the Palestinian refugees are in a greater need for the UNRWA services at this difficult stage because of various stern political and economic factors, which had impacts on all communities especially refugees.

In his speech, Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh recalled his own sixty-year journey as one of those Palestinians displaced into the diaspora, and how he learned to make use of what he called "the grace of suffering." He thanked the UNRWA for its major and vital role in his life and in taking care of Palestinian refugees in the past, present and future.

He emphasized his companys mission and commitment to capacity building for the Arab people, including the Palestinians. He said that Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization has endeavored to deliver its social responsibility in various forms and approaches. A good example, he added, was the cooperation and partnership between the Organization and UNRWA in development initiatives aimed at the Palestinian refugee camps. He briefed the audience on the latest such initiative; the launching of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Capacity Building Center and Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Refurbished Computers Center in Gaza Refugee Camp near Jerash.

The Centers provide training services in the areas of information and communication technology, and training on the various computer skills, applications and programs (Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Cambridge IT Skills Program), and programs to qualify and develop English language skills for the young people and graduates in the camp to prepare them for the labor market. In addition, the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Refurbished Computers project, which will serve the Jordanian community as a whole, will provide services to re-furbish and re-habilitate computers, software and applications for under-developed schools in the refugee camps and remote villages.

In addition to the Minister and Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh, the celebration was attended by a number of prominent guests, including the UNRWA Commissioner-General, Mr. Richard Cook, Director of UNRWA Operations in Jordan, Mr. Wajeeh Azayzeh, Director of the Palestinian Affairs and a number of MPs and members of the diplomatic missions in Amman.