T H E S T O R Y O F T H E W O R K S H O P The challenge A not for profit organization created in 2008 by the Greater Amman Municipality, Ai has been working as a regional think tank in the field of urban governance with the motto of “empowering communities to excel”. Through its various projects and initiatives in Jordan, Ai has not been only concerned with the built environment, but rather has focused on less tangible, yet just as important issues, like citizenship, governance, and participatory planning processes. Through its engagement with different communities in Jordan, mainly through the Amman Plan and eight other plans that Ai has prepared for other cities in Jordan, and by encountering thousands of stakeholders of citizens, civil servants, developers, decision makers, etc, Ai has constantly faced the same challenge. This challenge is centered around the top-down decision making processes, where the community is hardly engaged or involved in the building or sustenance of their communities. In many instances, communities were eager to contribute to their societies; however did not have enough guidance on how to best do so. In other instances, communities lacked the sense of ownership and this led to the lack of responsibility. In many cases, it was the reliance on the government as not only the sole decision maker but also as the caretaker. This puts into question the sustainability of any development project in Jordan and affects the dynamics between the citizens and their sense of belonging to their cities. Ai has been engaged in numerous attempts to involve various communities in the process, and to further trigger a sense of ownership. Although there has been significant progress in this process, Ai believes that there is much more to be done on both ends. Taking the role of an agent of change, not only in Amman, but also nationally and regionally, Ai believes in its role in facilitating a more active involvement of the communities in decision making issues that will affect their daily lives. Participatory planning processes are, and will continue, to be an essential part of any work that Ai engages in. In this regard, Ai is not alone but rather belongs to a larger network of individuals and organizations facing the same challenge. Various models have been implemented in hopes of bridging the gap, yet not one single discourse has been prevalent. Ai has decided to explore a new path through bringing innovative ideas and opportunities to the citizens of Jordan. The Choice Through various training courses acting as primary tools for making a difference, Ai has contacted the Middle East Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School of Government to explore opportunities of collaboration in executive education. A year ago, Ms. Hilary Rantisi, Director of the Initiative, introduced Ai to the work of Marshall Ganz and also connected them to his deputy in Jordan, Ms. Nisreen Haj Ahmed. Through many internal deliberations and discussions,

the idea of hosting Professor Ganz for training and public events evolved, and was very much welcomed by the Chairman of the Amman Institute, Mayor Omar Maani. In order to better understand the theory and practice behind his training, Ai’s representative attended one of the training modules that was designed for forty Muslim women from the MENA region. Ai has been working on this project for almost a year now, dedicating many human and financial resources in order to make this a reality. It is Ai’s belief in the potentials of such an endeavor that has allowed it to undertake this project, with an experimental spirit, and faith in the impact it will have in creating awareness about community organizing; a different approach to civil leadership and civil action that will create change. The training exposed leaders of organizations and communities to a different model of thought and operation, and allowed them to see how they can support each other in the future. The training did not aim to create organizers or at launching campaigns per se, but rather, at understanding what organizing means, what are the practices involved in such a process and how to go implementing them in Jordan. There were twenty-five participants involved in this training course, while being selected based on a very specific set of criteria and standards. They included leaders in the development sector in Jordan, environmentalists, city councilors and community activists. The outcome In addition to the mentioned above, Ai achieved the following from this training:

- Empowered community organizers and leaders to take further steps in their work - Created a team of trained coaches to undertake this training in Arabic in other localities

in Jordan so that the training will have a snowflake effect - Created a network of leaders and organizers who meet on a regular basis to support

each other, share stories, define new horizons, and empower new leaders - Facilitated the way for different organizations towards community organizing campaigns

in their fields

In its full capacity, Ai intends on following up with the participants and utilizing its resources to achieve strong community building and organizing. Through locating the right networks, causes, values and stories, Ai will continue to carry the torch and pass it on to the Jordanian and regional community.

Participants

25 of Jordan’s most talented and accomplished community organizers participated in the training. These participants brought with them an idea of what to expect but came out with a life-changing experience. Many humbled each other with their stories while others adopted new values. All, however, left the training with a new outlook on community building and promised to take a stand together. These participants are:

Ahmad Al Abed is currently an assistant systems analyst and instructor at the Royal Scientific Society. Ahmad is a system designer and holds extensive experience in the Royal Scientific Society in programming and system engineering. In addition to being trained on the Multimedia System Development and Microsoft Applications, he is also a teacher for these applications. Ahmad is a member of the Association of Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) in Tokyo, Japan and the Jordan Computer Society (JSC) in Amman, Jordan.

Deema Bibi is currently the CEO of INJAZ Jordan, a member nation of Junior Achievement Worldwide that works with over 110,000 students in over 160 public schools and 30 universities and colleges. Prior to INJAZ, Deema was the ICT Program Manager at the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) at the Regional Office, where she was responsible for the creation and management of ICT and education related initiatives in the Arab region from 2000-2005. Deema has also worked in the private sector where she developed and managed several ICT projects in Jordan and the Middle East.

Diala Khamra is a public sector reform and development consulting expert with thirteen years of experience in managing projects in public sector reform and social and economic development fields. She is currently the Deputy Chief of Party of the USAID Rule of Law Project that is working with the Ministry of Justice and the Judicial Council in implementing the national Judicial Upgrading Strategy (JUST). Diala is also a founding member of the Justice Center for Legal Aid (JCLA), an NGO that was established in 2008 to facilitate access to justice by the poor and the vulnerable.

Eman Nimri is currently a freelance consultant focusing on enhancing the role of CSOs through building dialogue and increasing communication with governmental entities. Eman also works on educating on gender mainstreaming and training. Previously, Eman served as Deputy Executive Director and Director of Sustainable Development Programs for almost 13 years with the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD). At JOHUD, Eman managed and supervised a wide range of projects promoting economic, social and political empowerment, through an approach that is centered around human rights. Furthermore, Eman coordinated the production of the Jordan National Human Development Report for 2004. This report highlighted the need for NGOs to focus on empowering community members to work collectively to claim their rights and hold duty bearers accountable for the services they provide.

Haifa Najjar is currently the superintendent of the Ahliyyah School for Girls and the Bishop’s School for Boys while serving as an eminent figure in the field of education locally and internationally. Haifa is highly qualified as a Director in Leadership and School Management and is a member of the International Baccalaureate Heads Council (HC-IB), Regional Council (RC-IB). She is also the head of the Technical Committee of The Queen Rania Award for Excellence in Education, a member of the Board of Trustees of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) and the President of The Business and Professional Women Association/Amman. Haifa holds a Masters degree in Transformation Management, and is currently working on her MPHL in Transformation Management. Huda Hakki is currently the project manager of the program department at the King Khaled Foundation, where she manages projects relating to capacity building for non-profit organizations, grant making and local community engagement. Previously, Huda was the director of Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development, as well as a manager and supervisor for the Programs and Centers under ZENID, namely, the Youth Center, the Training Center, the Women’s Empowerment Program and the Poverty Alleviation Program. Huda also managed “Makana Project” a national program that deals with governance issues at the community level.

Ihab Amarin is currently the Director of Planning and Tourism Projects at Ai. Ihab has previous work experience as the Acting Secretary General for the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities where he was leading the national effort of Tourism Product Development in Jordan, the establishment of Petra Region Planning Council, the formulation of the National Tourism Strategy (2004-2010), the establishment of the Technical Development Department and the initiation and activation of the Law of the Cultural Heritage Protection in Jordan. Ihab has previously led several donor-funded major Urban and Tourism Development Programs including: Third Tourism Project (Cultural Heritage, Urban and Tourism Development Project), Second Tourism Project (STDP) and Promotion of Cultural Heritage. He has also won the UK Green Apple Award in 2009 for his efforts in preserving Jordan Cultural Heritage.

Liana Khammash is currently the PMU Director for Jabal Ajloun Development Program. The Program is a management support entity to an inter-ministerial Steering Committee for the development of the Jabal Ajloun Area. The focus of this program lies in coordinated planning, prioritization and execution of projects to support the overall objective and enable community benefit realization. Liana has over nineteen years experience in architecture and planning, real estate development, corporate interiors, consulting and client representation in Amman, Dubai and Riyadh where she previously worked with TAMLEEK, 2K Architects and Engineers Jafar Tukan & Partners.

Mahmoud Bdour is currently the Dana Village Renovation Project Manager where he develops the local community participation plan in the project, the eco-tourism plan for Dana village as well as creates new socio-economic projects to increase the local community income. Previously, Mahmoud was the Fugej rangeland reserve manager and the Wadi Rum protected area and site manager. Mahmoud was the conservation consultant for the Commissioner of Environment for Sheik Mohammad Ben Zayed Oryx Release Project in Wadi Rum.

Mufleh Abbadi is currently the project manager for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This union aims to build the capacity of the relevant stakeholders, including local communities, on the rehabilitation of the Zarqa river approaches. With over fifteen years of experience, Mufleh managed projects with the IUCN in addition to the “Equitable Access and Management of Natural Resources Project” for Care International. Mufleh has also worked for both governmental and non-governmental sectors for voluntary societies, cooperative societies, youth clubs and many others. During his career in managing various projects, he has played an influential role in the mobilization of local communities and community organizing.

Nada Hiyari is the Senior Program Officer for the Advocacy Civil Society Program (CSP)–Academy for Educational Development. Her main tasks include managing the advocacy component at CSP and managing and administering all aspects of the delivery and monitoring of the project. Nada also filled the positions of the Program Coordinator at the Center for Strategic Studies-University of Jordan and the Program Officer at Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty. She is also one of the founders of the Arab Thought Forum.

Nesreen Barakat is currently a member of the GAM City Council and Managing Director of To Excel Consulting. Nesreen is also focusing on strengthening the institution while establishing SME upgrading and modernization programs. This is done through setting up and managing an SME support oriented institution like the “Jordan Upgrading & Modernization Program (JUMP)” and leading the Jordanian National Competitiveness Team (JNCT) while institutionalizing it through the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC), amongst others. Nesreen has had extensive experience in local economic development where she has supervised and participated heavily in the local economic development initiatives in both Karak and Irbid Governorates. Nihad Jariri is currently the Program Manager at the Farah Al Nas radio. Nihad’s position is centered around assuring that the programs presented meet the station's goals to highlight rights, success stories of women, youth and the physically challenged. Nihad’s role as Program Manager is especially crucial in representing the roles of two NGO’s while emphasizing the importance of advocacy, raising awareness and winning support.

Noor Homoud currently works at the office of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah as a Community Outreach Manager where she transmits Her Majesty’s vision to the Jordanian public through implementing various programs across Jordan. In order to communicate this vision, Noor is consistently interacting with the various communities from different governorates, where she works on understanding their needs and resolving their problems through, nongovernmental and governmental organizations. Noor has previously volunteered at the Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development which allowed her the opportunity of interacting with the Jordanian public and working towards creating a positive change in their lives.

Raghda Butros is the founder of Hamzet Wasel, a diverse and inclusive community of Amman citizens engaging in social activism and authentic relationship building across the city. Prior to working for Hamzet Wasel, Raghda was the founding director of Ruwwad, the first organization in Jordan to be funded solely by

individuals and companies from the private sector with the purpose of acting as a catalyst for members of marginalized communities to meet the needs of their communities. Raghda also filled the key positions of the Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at ARAMEX International, Founding Chief Executive Officer of JABA, the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan and the International Project Manager at the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI).

Rami Al Karmi is responsible for formulating the vision and strategy of SHABAKAT (positive change affecting the lives of 10 million Arabs by year 2015), as well as leading all efforts for regional roll out partnerships and operations to realize this vision. Rami filled several key positions including Director/Member of Educational Board of Directors at Al Raed Al Arabi School, Director/Member of the Board of Trustees at Elia Nuqul Foundation, Co-Founder/President of Products - @Your Service Group, Health Management Information Systems Advisor to H.E. Minister of Health and Lead advisor, and Head of Development (Knowledge Server @ iHorizons), the first online Arabic video streaming and content management system powering Al Jazeera news portal since 1999.

Rami Daher is the founder and CEO of TURATH: Architecture & Urban Design Consultants. Rami is a practicing architect and an academician currently working as an associate professor of Architecture at the German Jordanian University in Amman. He has spearheaded many projects locally and internationally that include, Amman Urban Heritage Study, Adaptive Reuse of the Electricity Hangar in Ras al Ain, Rainbow Cinematheque Rehabilitation and Adaptive Reuse Project and the Faisal Street Urban Regeneration Project. Rami has had a significant amount of experience dealing with NGOs and organizing for community empowerment. Rami is a well published author and has written multiple journals, articles and books.

Rawan Attour is a Senior Architect and Urban Planner at the Ai. She is currently the team leader of the Shafa Balqa, Rusaifa and Birayn Al Jadida master plans and the community plan component for the Shafa Balqa master plan. Rawan has participated in the Smart Growth Training Program for urban planners from Ar Ramadi in Iraq. She has previously worked as a Senior Architect with several urban and architectural firms, including the Urban Workshop and 2K, as well as co-founding TURATH. She has extensive experience in community outreach for AI’s planning process for seven different municipalities, engaging in public forums, focus groups and advisory groups.

Reem Al-Nasser is currently a member of the council of Greater Amman Municipality and the Vice President of The Jordanian Commission for Human Culture. She is also Head of Women Services Work Group, a member of Woman Protection Project Home Work, a member of the Family Protection Project Management Team and the Jordanian National Commission for Women. Reem has also had extensive experience working with the Ministry of Awqaf, where she was the Assistant Director for Women Affairs, Head of Holy Quran Centers and Homes Division. She has participated in many diverse workshops, trainings and talks.

Ruba Al-Zu’bi is currently the Director of Institutional Development and Project Management Director of Environmental Sustainability at Development Zones Commission. Ruba is also the co-founder and board member of the Jordan Green Building Council, Board Secretary, and Head of the Membership and Networking Committee of the Council. She has previously assisted several NGOs in their planning process and institutional development. Ruba has also supervised and supported the Ministry of Environment’s institutional and legal reform process, while becoming the first Policy and Development Director that aimed mainly at mainstreaming environmental concerns into other sectors in Jordan. Finally Ruba has consistently volunteered with numerous organizations that include several NGOs, DAMA, INJAZ, Jordan GBC, and BPWa, amongst others.

Ruba Asi graduated from the University of Jordan with her BA in Architecture. Towards the end of her college career, Ruba wrote her Thesis on " The Old City Centre of Assalt: A Case of Urban Stratification." Her thesis was later edited to be published by the Ministry of Culture and GSM. Furthermore, she was consistently involved in various design projects, publications and research at the Amman based practice of Ammar Khammash, while also attaining an architectural internship at Omrania & Associates/Jordan. During the fall of 2007 she presented a proposal under the title of "102 winters in Exodus" as part of participation in the Just Jerusalem 2050 Competition hosted by MIT’s Department of Urban Studies & Planning and the Center for International Studies. Taghreed Jaber is currently working as the Regional Director for Penal Reform International in the Middle East and North Africa offices. Tasks include organizing trainings, events and workshops, identifying and facilitating the participation of actors, events and workshops, contributing to research, assessing needs and facilitating delivery of services, liaise with local and national partners, liaise with donors and relevant stakeholders and fundraising. Areas of work are; women in prison, juvenile justice and prison reform. For the last eight years Taghreed has worked with different, local, regional and international women and human rights organization; her involvement varied from program officer, legal consultant, trainer, radio programmer, presenter and manager.

Coaches Diversity could be the one word to describe this group. Brought over, from Jordan and the MENA Region, having different backgrounds and multiple achievements, this group gave a new, yet local, taste to Ganz’s training. Through sharing their stories, their values and the fact that they were ‘not alone’, these coaches realized that they could mobilize and organize communities to achieve almost anything. The coaches are: Tarek Abu Al Hawa has fifteen years of experience in the field of natural resource management and sustainable rural development in the Arab region. His main area of expertise is related to the development and management of protected areas, and furthermore, their association to local community involvement and participation in the sustainable management of their natural resources. Following his training with Nisreen Haj Ahmad at the Ruwwad community in April 2010, Tarek continued on to train others on topics of community organization. In addition to attending a training course and later becoming very knowledgeable on notions of “community organization,” he went on to manage one of Jordan's two largest and most significant protected areas, Dana Nature Reserve and Wadi Rum Protected Area. These two projects were developed and managed by RSCN (Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature), GEF (Global Environment Facility) and the World Bank. While working on these projects, Tarek held the position of “Environmental Training Specialist” of RSCN until the end of 2001. After the successful completion of his projects in Jordan, Tarek then moved to the Republic of Yemen to work for the United Nations Development Program under the Socotra Islands' Conservation and Development Program as the Protected Areas Management Specialist, and later on as the Program Site Advisor until January 2005. Following his position as Program Site Advisor, he later joined IUCN – the Regional Office of WESCANA for three years as the Regional Program Coordinator for Protected Areas and Natural Resources Management. In late 2007, Tarek re‐joined RSCN to manage the largest protected areas project ever to be delivered by the organization. This significant project attended to the highest number of protected areas ever targeted, as well as the largest funding initiative and the most areas of intervention. His current full time position is Project Implementation and Monitoring Advisor for the Zarqa Basin Rehabilitation Project implemented by the Ministry of Environment in Jordan and funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.  Samar Dudin has been an independent theatre director and an educational drama specialist since 1995. She is the founder of Takween Open Spaces for Enlightenment & Creativity in Amman‐Jordan. Samar's work focuses mainly on creating experiential learning contexts to engage youth and children in exploring pluralism and diversity as the means and meaning for a better world. Her method is based on integrating research, community co‐ authorship, theatre and the arts as healing learning mediums. Samar has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from The University of Santa Clara, California. She is a member of The Advisory Committee for the Arab Education Forum, a board member of Al Ballad Theatre, the recipient of the Leadership fellowship from the International Women's Forum, a board member of Jordan's Children's Museum, a board of trustee member of King Abdullah II Fund for Development, and a board member of The Royal Film Commission . In July 2009, Samar was appointed as the regional director for Ruwwad, a non for profit community empowerment entity, founded by Fadi Ghandour and Jordanian business entrepreneurs. Nizar Farsakh is a Palestinian from the West Bank town of Bir Zeit. He worked as an advisor to Palestinian negotiators on border issues for five years, while also serving as the second hand man to the prime minister for eight months. Prior to working at the prime minister’s office, Nizar worked for three years as a research assistant at a Palestinian NGO in 

Bethlehem that focused on monitoring Israeli settlement activities. Nizar has an MA in International Boundary Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Political Science from the American University of Beirut. Furthermore, he graduated this May with a Masters in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Mid‐Career Program. Nizar plans to return to Cambridge in September to work as a teaching assistant to Professor Marshall Ganz on topics related to public narrative while also working with Professor Ronald Heifetz on topics of Leadership.  Nisreen Haj Ahmad is currently an independent consultant on Community Organizing and a teaching fellow at Harvard Kennedy School (Leadership, Organizing and Action on line course). She resides in Jordan.  With Harvard Professor Marshall Ganz, she conducts public narrative and community organizing training in the Middle East. The groups she has trained include Ruwad Al Tanmieh, Moslem Leaders of Tomorrow, Women Islamic Initiative on Spirituality and Equality, Israeli Palestinian Negotiations Partners, and Change Makers. Before that she was the Senior Academic Manager at the Columbia University Middle East Research Center in Amman. In June of 2008, she completed her second masters degree in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School and then became a fellow at the Center for International Development at Harvard University researching which educational practices best stimulate and support community action. From 1999 to 2007, she was the coordinator of the legal and policy unit at the Palestinian Negotiations Support Unit providing legal counsel to the Palestinian‐Israeli peace talks (including Camp David, Taba and the Gaza Evacuation). Before that she was the legal advisor to the Ministry of National Economy, providing counsel on international trade agreements. In 1996, she received her first masters degree in international trade law from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and trained at the Department of Trade and Industry in London. In 1995, she received her Bachelors degree in law from the University of Jordan.  Basil Jebril is a commodity and energy trader at the headquarters of a worldwide energy and bio‐fuels trading company, located in Zug, Switzerland. Basil has worked at several governmental and non‐governmental institutions in Gaza including the Ministry of Health, The State Information Service (SIS), the Ministry of Interior and the Palestinian National Foundation for Development (NASCD); the latter’s main objective being encouraging dialogue amongst political factions, promoting democratic practice in the society of Gaza and engaging the youth in the political process in Palestine. In addition to playing a major role in second track negotiations between Palestinian and Israeli conflicts, Basil is currently a member of the Negotiations Partners Network (IPNP).  Asma Alkhuraisat is currently working at Ai as an Urban Planner and Team Leader. She has had extensive team development experience while creating growth and master plans for some Jordanian cities. Asma has led several public participation forums and meetings, focus groups and advisory groups. Prior to working with the Amman Institute, Asma worked as an architect and a teacher in the US. While in the US, she began a career in teaching and soon became a lead teacher in the first Islamic full time school in Central Ohio. Asma has actively participated in establishing many community/youth/women related groups, served as a Commissioner for the Community Relations Commission for the City of Columbus, Ohio and was the first female architect/engineer to be elected for the student council in 1992. 

Sawsan Al Zatari is a Sociologist and Urban Planner at the Ai. Sawsan has worked on multiple projects related to affordable housing, as well as the Amman downtown revitalization projects, and MOMA projects (Shafa Balqa, Irbid and Az‐Zarqa). Although her focus lies in community engagement and mobilization, she has tackled many issues during 

her two years at Ai. These issues include overcoming issues of cultural heritage, policy planning and highlighting the community’s role in Urban Planning. Furthermore, Sawsan has led and participated in many focus groups, workshops, advisory committees and community outreach projects. In addition to interning at UNDP Syria, Sawsan has published a number of articles for various magazines and local newspapers. During her time at the American University of Beirut as President of the UNESCO Club Sawsan was recognized for winning the UNESCO workshop competition for the best University Initiative.