Most of the time, when we’re discussing a country’s 3D printing plan that’s completely endorsed and supported by the ruler of the country, we’re talking about the UAE city-state of Dubai and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. He introduced the multi-tiered Dubai 3D Printing Strategy in 2016, which was designed to make the UAE a global 3D printing leader. But Jordan, a Middle Eastern kingdom bordered by Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, and Israel, has equally technology-invested rulers. Just this past weekend, His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan attended a session in the framework of the ongoing World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, called “Jordan Entrepreneurship and Creativity.”
100 startups, including 21 from Jordan, are attending the World Economic Forum, themed “Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” A brief film about creativity in Jordan, and the world as a whole, got the session about Jordan’s creativity rolling, as it showcased creative entrepreneurship in drone applications, renewable energy, digital games and programming, 3D printing, and regenerative medicine, among other topics. In addition to highlighting Jordan as a catalyst for creative solutions, it offered young entrepreneurs an encouraging look at the steps they should take in order to develop laws and infrastructure to ramp up the use of business accelerators and incubators.
Taslaq said, “It is about problem solving [skills], which are universal.”
He also said that Mixed Dimensions, a 3D printing and cloud service provider, employs 50 Jordanian engineers and holds 16 patents obtained by Jordanians.
Before this weekend’s World Economic Forum sessions on Jordan, The Jordan Times reported that Her Majesty Queen Rania visited Fab Lab Irbid in Amman, which is dedicated to giving entrepreneurs access to its co-working spaces, meeting rooms, and state-of-the-art equipment, including 3D printers. It’s designed to help startups experiment, and build up product prototypes. It’s a constituent of the EU-funded Shamal Start program, which helps develop the local economy and create job opportunities, in the form of startups, for the Irbid and Mafraq communities. Three private sector institutions in Jordan run the program: the Royal Scientific Society’s iPark, 3Dmena Social Innovation, and Luminus Education.After her visit to Fab Lab Irbid, Her Majesty also went to the Jordan University for Science and Technology (JUST) to see a performance of the recurring interactive discussion show, “Offline Show.”
The queen joined about 170 students and staff members in the university’s auditorium to see the latest performance, and said she was very impressed, as the show takes on important social issues.Her Majesty Queen Rania said, “Satirical art, the core of which are society’s woes and most pressing issues, greatly influences public opinion and helps change preconceived notions.
The ongoing show offers a safe space to discuss ethical problems and real-life ethical choices, and discusses controversial and complex issues. It was conceived by Jordanian social media influencers and activists Odai Hijazi, Mouath Omari, Ahmad Srour, and Omar Zorba. Her Majesty also told the audience members at the performance that “they are the future of Jordan.”
“We have great hopes for you,” Her Majesty said. “We hope that you will be the generation that fosters constructive dialogue, the one that overcomes any notions of negativity passed on from generation to generation, and the one to solve your issues without casting blame.”
She encouraged the students to keep taking part in important discussions, such as educational reform and development, which is a mission of His Majesty King Abdullah II. Discuss in the Jordan forum at 3DPB.com.
[Sources: Petra, The Jordan Times]