‘A Night in Vienna’ celebrates 70 years of Jordan-Austria diplomatic relations

AMMAN — The Austrian embassy in Amman on Thursday, February 16, hosted “A Night in Vienna” under the patronage of HRH Prince Hassan and with the high-level participation of Ernst Woller, First President of the Parliament of the Province of Vienna.

In his remarks, Prince Hassan commended the strong, longstanding relations between Jordan and Austria, said a statement from the Austrian embassy. 

Prince Hassan said: "Over the last 70 years, remarkable joint efforts have been made in the fields of science diplomacy, technology, education and people-to-people exchanges". 

The prince added that these steps reinforce cultural affinity and sustainable, inclusive development.

Prince Hassan stressed that as the world faces “‘Zeitenwende’ [a turning of the times], it is imperative we promote plurality and solidarity instead of polarity and hatred”.

Austrian Ambassador Oskar Wüstinger said: “We are coming together to celebrate 70 years of excellent bilateral relations between Austria and Jordan — relations based on a strong partnership, friendship, mutual understanding, respect and trust with a multitude of activities in the political, economic, security, development cooperation and cultural fields, including interreligious and intercultural dialogue.”

“A Night in Vienna”, referring to the famous Arabic song Lailali al Uns fi Vienna, showcased a multitude of aspects of the ever-growing friendship between the two countries, the statement said. 

It was also an opportunity for representatives from politics, businesses, culture and civil society to meet, exchange and network. 

The event was held under the umbrella of “ReFocus Austria”, a key component of the Austrian federal government’s economic comeback plan after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In the past months, Jordanian business representatives went to Vienna to explore opportunities and in turn several Austrian business delegations visited Jordan — active in various sectors ranging from tourism infrastructure to tech, cyber security and artificial intelligence. 

Further Austrian delegations are planned around topics such as creative industries, green tech and renewable energy, where there is a high demand in Jordan and Austrian providers with matching solutions.

At this important milestone, the Austrian ambassador also reiterated: “We share a rich historic and cultural heritage and a commitment to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the world. Our two nations have a long history of working together to address regional and global challenges, from supporting refugees and promoting sustainable development to countering terrorism and promoting human rights.

“In hosting large numbers of refugees, Jordan’s extraordinary efforts, generosity and hospitality are truly impressive. Austria will continue to support the resilience of the Jordanian people and the refugees hosted here. Over the past 10 years, Austria has provided more than 20 million euros to Jordan.”