Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN1182
2003-02-24 14:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

UPDATE ON JORDAN GLOBE PROGRAM

Tags:  KGLB SENV SCUL JO 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001182 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/PCI PAYNE; IP/G/NEA CBOURGEOIS, JGAFFNEY;
ECA/R RUTH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGLB SENV SCUL JO
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON JORDAN GLOBE PROGRAM

REF: A) SECSTATE 06351 B) 2002 AMMAN 4426

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001182

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/PCI PAYNE; IP/G/NEA CBOURGEOIS, JGAFFNEY;
ECA/R RUTH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGLB SENV SCUL JO
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON JORDAN GLOBE PROGRAM

REF: A) SECSTATE 06351 B) 2002 AMMAN 4426


1. PER REF A, POST HAS IMPRESSED UPON THE LOCAL GLOBE
COORDINATOR THE IMPORTANCE OF JORDANIAN STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS ATTENDING THE UPCOMING GLOBE LEARNING EXPEDITION IN
CROATIA. THROUGH THE NEA REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT OFFICE (REO),
BASED IN AMMAN, WE ARE ALREADY INVOLVED IN ASSISTING THE
JORDAN GLOBE PROGRAM IN NUMEROUS WAYS.


2. FOR EXAMPLE, UPON A REQUEST FROM THE REO IN 1999, A
LOCAL INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER AGREED TO CONTRIBUTE FREE
INTERNET ACCESS FOR 13 UNDERPRIVILEGED GLOBE SCHOOLS IN
JORDAN. THIS HAS ALLOWED THE PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS TO MORE
EASILY CONDUCT THE DATA ENTRY AND DATA SHARING THAT IS
CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF GLOBE'S MISSION.


3. IN JANUARY 2002, GLOBE JORDAN INTRODUCED ITS PROGRAM TO
JORDANIAN SCIENTISTS AT A PUBLIC FORUM THROUGH PRESENTATIONS
BY THE GLOBE COORDINATOR AND STUDENTS. AT THE SAME EVENT,
THE REO ENCOURAGED JORDANIAN PROFESSORS AND SCIENTISTS TO
PARTNER WITH GLOBE SCHOOLS AND ACT AS MENTORS FOR GLOBE
STUDENTS. SCIENTISTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO USE GLOBE DATA FROM
LOCAL SCHOOLS IN THEIR RESEARCH, IF POSSIBLE, AND TO EXPOSE
GLOBE STUDENTS TO WAYS IN WHICH THEIR DATA CAN HAVE
APPLICATION IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. THE REO PROMOTED THESE
PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN GLOBE SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS OF
HIGHER LEARNING TO BROADEN JORDANIAN YOUTH'S UNDERSTANDING
AND APPRECIATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 5
UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS WHO ARE DONATING THEIR TIME TO THE
JORDAN GLOBE PROGRAM AND ACTING AS ADVISORS TO STUDENTS WITH
THEIR DATA COLLECTION AND PROJECTS.


4. POST ALSO HAS ENCOURAGED THE JORDAN GLOBE PROGRAM TO
CONSIDER CONDUCTING REGIONAL PROJECTS INVOLVING GLOBE
STUDENTS FROM SEVERAL NEA COUNTRIES COLLABORATING ON A
COMMON ISSUE. TO THIS END, IN JUNE 2002, GLOBE JORDAN
HOSTED A REGIONAL WORKSHOP IN AQABA WITH GLOBE STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS FROM LEBANON AND BAHRAIN. A SECOND REGIONAL GLOBE
WORKSHOP, ORGANIZED BY GLOBE JORDAN, FOR STUDENTS FROM
LEBANON, BAHRAIN AND JORDAN WAS HOSTED IN LEBANON IN JULY

2002. THE EGYPT GLOBE PROGRAM ALSO SENT AN OBSERVER TO THIS
EVENT, FOLLOWING REO'S MEETING IN CAIRO WITH GLOBE
COORDINATORS AND EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS IN APRIL 2002. THE
SERIES OF WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON SEAWATER CHARACTERISTICS, FOR
WHICH THE STUDENTS PRODUCED COUNTRY-SPECIFIC REPORTS AND A
JOINT "COMPARATIVE STUDY PAPER" ON THE TOPIC. A THIRD
FOLLOW-UP WORKSHOP, INVOLVING JORDAN, LEBANON, BAHRAIN,
EGYPT, AND SAUDI ARABIA (AS OBSERVER),HAD BEEN SCHEDULED
FOR FEBRUARY 2003 IN BAHRAIN, BUT WAS POSTPONED.


5. THE REO FACILITATED A MEETING BETWEEN GLOBE JORDAN AND
EMBASSY AMMAN PUBLIC DIPLOMACY TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF
ASSISTING GLOBE THROUGH EXISTING EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. REO AND
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY HAVE ENCOURAGED THE GLOBE COORDINATOR TO
SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING THROUGH MEPI. WE ARE ALSO
EXPLORING USING THE SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM AS
ANOTHER MEANS TO LINK JORDANIAN GLOBE STUDENTS WITH THEIR
AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS.


6. IN AN ATTEMPT TO HELP GLOBE JORDAN OVERCOME THE
FINANCIAL CHALLENGES IT HAS HAD IN RAISING FUNDS TO PURCHASE
SCIENTIFIC KITS AND CONDUCT ACTIVITIES, THE REO OFFERED A
GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP FOR JORDANIAN NGO'S AND OFFICIALS,
AMONG WHOM WERE REPRESENTATIVES FROM GLOBE, IN AUGUST 2002
(REF B). WE HAVE ALSO PUT THE GLOBE JORDAN COORDINATOR IN
TOUCH WITH LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE SO THAT THEY CAN
SOLICIT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROGRAM. FINALLY, WE ARE
COORDINATING WITH THE FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AT EMBASSY
AMMAN TO INTRODUCE THE GLOBE PROGRAM TO THE JORDAN AMERICAN
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AS A POSSIBLE RECIPIENT OF CORPORATE
GOOD CITIZENSHIP. BY RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT GLOBE,
WE HOPE TO ENCOURAGE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO PLAY AN
ACTIVE ROLE IN SUPPORTING GLOBE ACTIVITIES.


7. BACKGROUND ON GLOBE PROGRAM IN JORDAN: THE GLOBE/JORDAN
AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED ON OCTOBER 31, 1996, BETWEEN THE
MINISTRY OF MUNICIPALITIES, RURAL AFFAIRS AND THE
ENVIRONMENT AND THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO JORDAN. THE
MINISTRY DESIGNATED A JORDANIAN NGO, THE FRIENDS OF
ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY (FOE),TO COORDINATE AND IMPLEMENT GLOBE
ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT JORDAN. THERE ARE
CURRENTLY 23 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN GLOBE.


8. THE FOE IS A NON-PROFIT, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1994 AND IS DEDICATED TO ENCOURAGING
YOUTH TO TAKE AN ACTIVE PART IN CONSERVING AND IMPROVING
THEIR ENVIRONMENT. IT HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE COORDINATOR OF THE
GLOBE PROGRAM, INCLUDING PROVIDING STAFF TRAINING FOR
FLEDGLING GLOBE PROGRAMS IN OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES.
GNEHM