From the Opening Reception at the Omayyad Palace overlooking the city of Amman to the address given by HM Queen Rania Al-Abdullah to the Closing Ceremony at the walled village of Kan Zaman, the 2007 International Women's Forum Cornerstone Conference in Amman, Jordan was a spectacular and educational experience for all. Read HM Queen Rania's address to the 2007 Cornerstone and media coverage of the event from The Jordan Times, the International Herald Tribune and Al Hayat.

Below, share with us some of the many highlights of this year's Cornerstone.

Member Reflections

Jordan Photo Album II


   
 

IWF President Gay Cook, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan and IWF Jordan President Reem Abu Hassan enjoy the 2007 IWF Amman Cornerstone Conference.

   
   
   
        IWF members and guests arrive at the Opening Reception, held in the courtyard of the Omayyad Palace at the ancient ruins of the Citadel. Remains of three ancient cultures that shaped Jordan's rich heritage, the Byzantine, Omayyad and Roman, are found at this gorgeous site set on one of the seven fabeled hills of Amman.      
                         
 

IWF Jordan President Reem Abu Hassan welcomes IWF members, guests and conference speakers to the 2007 Cornerstone Conference.

   
                                       
       

IWF Mexico members and guests enjoy the historic ruins at the Opening Reception.

     
   
   
       

IWF President Gay Cook opens the 2007 Cornerstone Conference to a record Cornerstone audience of more than 600 IWF members and guests.

     
         

Nissreen Haram (moderator), Dr. John Voll, Thamer Obeidat and Dr. Samira Al Khawaldeh discuss Islam, Democracy and Modernization in Plenary I.

     
         

Thamer Obeidat considers a question from the audience during
Plenary I - Islam, Democracy and Modernization.

 

Deedee Corradini (moderator), Dr. Janet Martin Soskice, Dr. Minwar al-Meheid and Dr. Maria Rosa Menocal share their thoughts on Faith, Identity & Co-Existence in the Break Out Sessions.

 
 

Senator Wijdan Talhouni Saket, Jordan; Ambassador Gail Schoettler (moderator), USA; Alees Samaan, Member of Parliament, Bahrain and the first woman to chair a parliament in the Middle East; and Dr. Farkhonda Hassan, Member of Parliament, Egypt, discuss Arab Women Parliamentarians in the Break Out Session.

 
       

Barbara Barrett (moderator), Samia Hamza al-Farra and Dr. Nabil El Haggar (accopanied by a translator) talk about Education, Culture & Competitiveness in the Break Out Session.

   
         

Raghida Dergham, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Al Hayat, leads discussion on the Complexity of Relationships East to West with U.S. Ambassador H.E. David Hale, Russian Ambassador H.E. Alexander Kalugin, Swedish First Secretary Charlotta Mansson and Turkish Ambassador H.E. Huseyin Dirioz during the Luncheon Programme.

Chair of the 2007 IWF World Leadership Conference & Gala in Chicago, Illinois, USA, Lynne O'Shea Nellemann with a Bedouin gatekeeper at Iraq al-Amir.  
Reham Haddad, Director of the Madaba Institute of Mosaic Art & Restoration, explains the history of the mosaics found at the ancient center of Madaba.  
             
 
      Young Arab Leaders from Iraq, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and East Jerusalem take the stage and offer their insights concerning The Future of the Arab World.      
                                         
   

On Day 2 of the 2007 Cornerstone Conference, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan joined IWF members and guests to open Plenary III on Arab Women: Myths, Misperceptions & Realities. Making her entrance, HM Queen Rania is joined by IWF President Gay Cook and IWF Jordan President Reem Abu Hassan.

   
     
 

Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan, Founder- IWF Jordan- addresses the conference. Read her speech here.

   
   

Gemma Hussey (moderator), Dr. Leila Ahmed, Dr. Katarina Dalacoura, Dr. Laila Abu Hassan and Dr. Rima Khalaf Hunaidi talk about Arab Women: Myths, Misperceptions & Realities during Plenary III.

 
                                         
     

Suhair Al-Ali, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, leads the discussion on Building Bridges-Breaking Walls: A Look to the Future with Dina Galal, IBM Egypt-Middle East, Reem Badran, CEO-Kuwaiti Jordanian Holding Company, and E.U. Ambassador H.E. Patrick Renauld at the Luncheon Programme.

     
   
IWF members and guests kick up their heels and celebrate the closing of the 2007 Amman Cornerstone Conference, accompanied by traditional Jordanian Dabke dancers.
 
   
 
 
           
   
   
   
                 
       
   
       
Official International Travel Partner
   
   
 
   
Nour El Hamid Charity Foundation