Jordan's Queen Rania and Queen Silvia of Sweden visited a royally sponsored charity on Tuesday during the state visit of the Swedish royal family to the Hashemite kingdom.
The monarchs met children at the Queen Rania Family and Child Centre in east Amman, state media reported. The well-being and protection centre was established in 2005 and has served more than 60,000 children and parents in the Jabal Al Nasr neighbourhood.
“A lot of parents just don't know what to do but they know that they want the best for their children,” Queen Rania told Queen Silvia at the centre.
“This is just about educating parents on better approaches to dealing with their children.”
Queen Rania then introduced her counterpart to a little boy named Amir, explaining that his name means 'prince' in English. Amir and other children wore crowns made of card for the occasion.
Later she showed off some handicrafts on display at the centre made as part of a partnership between the Jordan River Foundation and Swedish furniture giant Ikea to provide employment for Syrian refugees, of which over 700,000 officially reside in Jordan. Brandishing a rug, Queen Rania said it could “easily fit in a modern interior”.
The partnership began in 2017 and now employs around 420 Jordanian and Syrian refugee women, creating more than 300,000 items each year to be sold around the world.
The hand embroidered cushion covers, floor cushions, and rugs form the TILLTALANDE collection on sale in many Ikea stores.
Queen Rania wore a blue jacket, while Queen Silvia dressed in a fuchsia pink jacket and fuchsia and yellow chequered dress.
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia are on a three-day visit to Jordan, the first official trip of a Swedish monarch to the kingdom in 33 years.
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King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah, centre and centre right, and Crown Prince Al Hussein, right, receive King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, left, at Al Husseiniya Palace in Jordan. All photos: Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan -
King Abdullah, accompanied by Queen Rania and Crown Prince Al Hussein, meets King Carl and Queen Silvia of Sweden in Jordan. -
Expanded talks between the parties on bilateral relations and the latest regional and international developments in Jordan. -
An official welcoming ceremony is held for King Carl and Queen Silvia at Al Husseiniya Palace in Jordan. -
The official welcoming ceremony. -
The official welcoming ceremony. -
With Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and Her Royal Highness Princess Rym Ali on the first day of Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia’s state visit to Jordan today in Jordan. photo: Instagram
Welcoming them to Amman, King Abdullah II praised Stockholm's support for the UN Relief and Works Agency, which serves Palestinian refugees.
“[If] it wasn’t for the role of Sweden, I think Jordan and the region would have suffered because we have multiple refugees in our country, in the region that have been sorely affected,” said the king.
King Carl Gustaf will also visit the new office of the Swedish embassy in Amman and the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa.
The royal families “have a warm friendship, and our countries are close partners”, said King Abdullah.
