Jordan remembers Queen Alia

AMMAN — Friday marks the 47th anniversary of the death of Her Majesty Queen Alia, who passed away on February 9th, 1977.

The late queen, who was born in Cairo in December 1948, died in a helicopter crash while returning from an inspection trip to Tafileh Hospital in southern Jordan.

Queen Alia, born Alia Baha Uddin Toukan, married His Majesty the late King Hussein in 1971.

They had two children: Their Royal Highnesses Princess Haya and Prince Ali. In 1972, the pair adopted Abeer Moheisen.

Active in charity and social work, Queen Alia represented Jordanian women at many international conferences, serving as a model for Arab women, supporting their causes and their participation in socioeconomic development.

In commemoration of Queen Alia, HRH Princess Haya set up Tkiyet Um Ali, which provides assistance to underprivileged families.

Launched in 2006, the project was originally an idea introduced by the late queen, who wanted to help underprivileged families.

The term “tkiyet” dates back to the Ottoman period, when prominent families opened facilities on their estates that offered food for the poor and homeless.