King Hussein

A new program to honor His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal, the late ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, has been established at the Kennedy School of Government, according to Dean Joseph S. Nye Jr.

In a private meeting with Jordan's newly crowned monarch, King Abdullah bin Hussein, during a recent trip to the Middle East, Nye and the King formally established the program.

The new Kennedy School program serves to honor King Hussein's renown and respect as a leader committed to peace and stability in the Middle East, and his unique ability to build bridges and enduring friendships between and among his neighbors in the Middle East and other nations throughout the world, Nye said.

The program consists of two components:

1. A permanently endowed professorship named in King Hussein's honor in perpetuity, to promote advanced teaching, research, and outreach on issues of global concern and to build bridges among policy-makers, scholars, and business leaders across the world; and
2. An ongoing series of King Hussein Fellowships in the Kennedy School of Government's executive programs to help train current and future leaders from Jordan to follow his example of service, international diplomacy, and peace.

Nye commented, "The Kennedy School is most honored to establish a program honoring one of the 20th century's most respected and revered leaders. The establishment of this program is very much in keeping with the Kennedy School's mission to train world leaders and solve global policy challenges, both objectives of which King Hussein was an extraordinary proponent. He served as an inspiration to leaders across the world for his commitment and vision fighting for causes and issues many viewed as intractable. This program will allow us to train generations of future leaders through his example."

The Kennedy School has enjoyed a long friendship with many leaders from Jordan, having hosted two visits by Her Majesty Queen Noor in the ARCO Forum of Public Affairs. The most recent of these visits was Oct. 8, 1996, when Her Majesty spoke in the Forum and met with students.

President Neil L. Rudenstine joined in expressing his appreciation and respect by stating, "King Hussein's historic reign of 46 years as the ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom, his leadership in transforming Jordan into one of the Middle East's most important and stable nations, and his courage, conviction, and foresight in crossing cultural boundaries as a broker for peace are extraordinary achievements recognized throughout the world. The gathering of international leaders and heads of state at King Hussein's funeral was a testament to the respect and admiration the world shared with the people of Jordan for his life and legacy. We are pleased and honored to be able to establish a new program at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government as a living memorial to the late King."

His Majesty King Hussein served as the ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for 46 years, beginning in 1953, marking his leadership as one of the world's longest-serving heads of state. During his reign, he transformed his kingdom into one of the Middle East's most modern, industrious, and stable nations. Among the many accomplishments for which he will be remembered are his commitments to peace, including Jordan's 1994 peace agreement with Israel, as well as his pivotal role in the 1998 Wye River peace accord.

The permanently endowed senior professorship, the King Hussein bin Talal Professorship of Public Leadership, will allow the School to recruit a world- renowned scholar or distinguished practitioner to conduct research, develop and teach courses, train leaders through degree and executive programs, and participate in global outreach activities, such as conferences, symposia, colloquia, forums, and other international events. Parallel to the establishment of the King Hussein Professorship, the Kennedy School will establish a fund to enhance Jordanian participation in graduate degree programs of study, executive training programs with an international orientation, and new executive programs that will be created for the Arab world in general. The purpose of these varied programs will be to enhance Jordan's human capital as it meets the national, regional, and global challenges of the new era. Through this experience, participants can develop their professional skills and interact with international leaders of similar seniority and experience, as well as with distinguished Harvard faculty, before returning to their positions of responsibility in their respective organizations in Jordan.