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In memory of one of Jordan’s trailblazers
By Sarah Abu-Sa’ad, Jordan News
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Jordan recently lost Laurice Hlass, the country’s first woman ambassador (to Morocco) and a backbone of the community for many who saw her as an empowering woman who dedicated her life to public service, and to helping refugees and those in need.اضافة اعلان
Hlass was also an assistant to the Jordanian diplomatic delegation at the UN in 1969, a member of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics, an independent body under the aegis of the World Tourism Organization, and a representative of the organization in the Middle East, and one of the first people to establish the Jordanian Women Union, in 1951.
Laurice Hlass was known for her love for Palestinian history and traditions, and she was proud of her heritage and lived surrounded by it. (Photos: Handouts from Lucie Aslou)
“Hlass was a great lady who touched the heart of each person she met,” her friend and colleague at the Young Woman Christian Association, Shireen Haddad, told Jordan News.
Known for her love for Palestinian history and traditions, she was proud of her heritage and lived surrounded by it. Her flat, friends say, was like a museum, with Palestinian embroidery and accessories favorite decoration items.
Hlass was dedicated to helping and empowering refugees, and all those around her, being there for them on every occasion.
“She lived for others, she lived to help refugees and empower whoever faced a hard reality because she also had a difficult life,” close friend Rana Sabbagh, senior editor at organized crime and corruption reporting project and co-founder of Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (Arij), told Jordan News.
Hlass was a powerful self-made woman, who overcame hardships to become a survivor, an achiever, a fierce person. She came to Jordan from Jaffa, Palestine, as a refugee escaping Nakba, the Israeli occupation and the displacement of the Palestinians in 1948. That was the moment when she focused on changing her reality.
She did not allow her circumstances to defeat her, but used them to grow, help others and inspire.
A firm believer in education, Hlass financed the education of many of her family members. She herself had a scholarship to study at Colombia University, in the US.
“She was a brilliant woman, hardworking and very particular due to her experience and education. But, what struck me most was her humanity. She was always trying to help economically challenged families. She believed in education and attributed her success to education,” close friend and once colleague Samia Sukkar told Jordan News.
Compassionate, Hlass always encouraged friends and colleague to give back. With donations from them she was able to secure scholarships for refugees during her work as YWCA president. She opened a bakery for women in the Baqaa refugee camp and offered iftars to orphans.
“This woman achieved much, and I was privileged to know her,” friend and colleague Lina Kattan told Jordan News.
“It was an honor to work with such an impressive, intelligent female leader,” she added.
For the last four years of her life Hlass battled an unforgiving disease. On May 25, 2021, on Independence Day, His Majesty King Abdullah honored Hlass with the centennial badge, a deserved recognition of the achievements of a remarkable woman.
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Hlass was also an assistant to the Jordanian diplomatic delegation at the UN in 1969, a member of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics, an independent body under the aegis of the World Tourism Organization, and a representative of the organization in the Middle East, and one of the first people to establish the Jordanian Women Union, in 1951.
Laurice Hlass was known for her love for Palestinian history and traditions, and she was proud of her heritage and lived surrounded by it. (Photos: Handouts from Lucie Aslou)
“Hlass was a great lady who touched the heart of each person she met,” her friend and colleague at the Young Woman Christian Association, Shireen Haddad, told Jordan News.
Known for her love for Palestinian history and traditions, she was proud of her heritage and lived surrounded by it. Her flat, friends say, was like a museum, with Palestinian embroidery and accessories favorite decoration items.
Hlass was dedicated to helping and empowering refugees, and all those around her, being there for them on every occasion.
“She lived for others, she lived to help refugees and empower whoever faced a hard reality because she also had a difficult life,” close friend Rana Sabbagh, senior editor at organized crime and corruption reporting project and co-founder of Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (Arij), told Jordan News.
Hlass was a powerful self-made woman, who overcame hardships to become a survivor, an achiever, a fierce person. She came to Jordan from Jaffa, Palestine, as a refugee escaping Nakba, the Israeli occupation and the displacement of the Palestinians in 1948. That was the moment when she focused on changing her reality.
She did not allow her circumstances to defeat her, but used them to grow, help others and inspire.
A firm believer in education, Hlass financed the education of many of her family members. She herself had a scholarship to study at Colombia University, in the US.
“She was a brilliant woman, hardworking and very particular due to her experience and education. But, what struck me most was her humanity. She was always trying to help economically challenged families. She believed in education and attributed her success to education,” close friend and once colleague Samia Sukkar told Jordan News.
Compassionate, Hlass always encouraged friends and colleague to give back. With donations from them she was able to secure scholarships for refugees during her work as YWCA president. She opened a bakery for women in the Baqaa refugee camp and offered iftars to orphans.
“This woman achieved much, and I was privileged to know her,” friend and colleague Lina Kattan told Jordan News.
“It was an honor to work with such an impressive, intelligent female leader,” she added.
For the last four years of her life Hlass battled an unforgiving disease. On May 25, 2021, on Independence Day, His Majesty King Abdullah honored Hlass with the centennial badge, a deserved recognition of the achievements of a remarkable woman.
Read more Trending
