Funded by King, JMI’s Abu Akleh scholarship to commemorate iconic journalist’s legacy

AMMAN — The Jordan Media Institute (JMI) has announced the launch of an annual scholarship programme funded by His Majesty King Abdullah to commemorate the work of slain Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead while covering Israeli occupation forces raid in the West Bank city of Jenin on Wednesday.

The JMI lauded the royal initiative to honour the career of Abu Akleh, who personified professionalism, courage, dignity, integrity and self-sacrifice in conveying an accurate coverage of events in occupied Palestine, according to a statement from the institute.

JMI CEO Mustafa Hamarneh told The Jordan Times on Monday that the Shireen Abu Akleh scholarship will be awarded every year starting from the next scholastic year (September 2022) to Palestinian women to pursue a master’s degree in journalism and New Media at the JMI.

“As a prestigious media institute locally and regionally, we are very proud that His Majesty chose our institution for this scholarship. Shireen Abu Akleh was also a good friend of the institute, giving many lectures at the JMI in the past,” Hamarneh said, extending his gratitude for His Majesty’s efforts and generosity.

Hamarneh noted that the rules and regulations of admission into the scholarship programme will be published later this week.

“We are looking forward to starting the scholarship to commemorate the legacy of the iconic journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, as we were all devastated by her cold-blooded execution,” he continued.

Hamarneh also indicated that the JMI receives Palestinian students all the time and has had many Palestinian graduates over the years.

The royal initiative was welcomed by both Palestinians and Jordanians over social media platforms, as many expressed their happiness for His Majesty’s noble efforts.

“His Majesty’s decision shows how much he cares about the Palestinian cause,  continuously shedding light on what happens there, the violations by the Israeli forces on a daily basis,” Samar Sha’arneh tweeted in Arabic.

Ziyad Abdulhameed, another social media user, praised the King’s efforts in commemorating the legacy of Abu Akleh.

“It is very important to keep her efforts and work alive, she inspired many young men and women to become journalists and this will help many to pursue their dream,” Abdulhameed wrote on his Facebook page.