King delivers an address to the nation, stresses that past 25 years have abounded with achievements

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah delivered an address to the nation on Sunday during a national event marking the Silver Jubilee, held on the 25th Accession to the Throne Day.

Her Majesty Queen Rania, and HRH Crown Prince Hussein on attended the event, which highlighted Jordan’s achievements throughout a quarter of a century, through a military parade by the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) and security agencies

In his speech, His Majesty stressed that Jordanians have earned global respect for their stances, principles, humanity and noble values.

Following is the English translation of the King’s speech:

“In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

My brothers and sisters,

Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you,

It has been twenty-five years since I have shouldered the responsibility of serving our homeland — our dear Jordan, its land and honourable people. I see in them men, women, and youth, with their heads held high and their values deeply rooted.

I see in them the brave soldier rushing to the border to aid a mother and her children, taking them to safety; the humane doctor who does not hesitate for a moment to assist his fellow brothers and sisters under shelling and in the thick of battle.

I see a teacher’s devotion to the noblest of callings to raise a generation, and a youth’s determination to take the initiative and make achievements to build the nation.

And in every corner of this great nation, I see the sacrifices of fathers and mothers who have not spared an effort for the betterment of their children.

I see the Jordanian who has persevered and excelled; rushing to provide aid in times of need; supporting a fellow brother or sister who suffered injustice; providing shelter to those seeking it; representing a model in defending and sacrificing for the nation’s causes; learning the values of chivalry in the ranks of our Armed Forces and security agencies, and having the honour to sacrifice for this nation and gain the respect of us all.

I see men and women who continue to build, create, and innovate to put Jordan at the forefront wherever they are.

This is the essence of the Jordanian I know and take great pride in before the whole world, confident in my great people, who have earned global respect for their stances, principles, humanity, and noble values.

My Jordanian family,

I stand before you today after a journey of a quarter of a century. Twenty-five years that were never without challenges, but have abounded with your achievements at times that crises took the world by storm, during which we faced together the ramifications of unprecedented wars and crises in the region.

And our Jordanian identity is and will always remain our source of strength that brings us together in the face of danger, and with it we protected the progress of our state and society. We united behind the flag to counter the khawarej and those who incited sedition; and we overcame regional chaos, protecting Jordan from its impact.

We have never hesitated. Confidently, we built, we developed, we strived, we succeeded, we made mistakes, and we were always keen to modernise and readjust, without deviating from our goals and ambitions.

And we will never hesitate. With your determination, we have withstood the most difficult of tests, and we have proven together that this country is strong and enduring in the face of all difficulties. Jordan remains resilient, steady against changing circumstances, and always the first to answer the call of duty.

This all is the source of my confidence in Jordan, and I have full faith that we can, with a clear vision, confidently move forward towards the future we deserve — without hesitation, fear, or surrender.

Success today is rooted in human talents, competencies, and capabilities. Jordan is rich in its youth’s potential, as well as its capabilities, expertise, and economic relations with the world, and we have broad horizons to increase investment in many promising fields and sectors.”