ACOR staff, past and present, gathered at the Grand Hyatt in Amman together with more than 250 of our valued supporters, colleagues, and friends on June 25, 2018 to celebrate our first 50 years in Jordan. This was an occasion to look back on all we have accomplished together over the past half century and to set the stage for ACOR’s future.
We were pleased to welcome at the gala representatives of the Jordanian government and royal family, as well as international diplomats from the United States, South Africa, Greece, and beyond. Rick Spees, Executive Director of CAORC, and ASOR President Susan Ackerman were also in attendance. The diverse range of those who came to celebrate this occasion with us, from Wadi Musa to Washington, D.C., is a testament to the legacy ACOR has built as an international center for research in Jordan. To all those in attendance, as well as those unable to join us for the evening, we extend our utmost gratitude for your support, and we look forward to continuing the many fruitful relationships we have fostered until now.
The evening also served as an opportunity to honor our longest-serving staff member, Mohammad Adawi, also known as Abu Ahmed, who formed an integral part of the ACOR family as our chef for the entirety of our first 50 years in Amman. In 2016, Abu Ahmed was awarded the ASOR Albright Service Award in recognition of his long and outstanding service to ACOR. On the night of the gala, Abu Ahmed marked his retirement from ACOR by cutting our 50th anniversary cake, capping off an evening of conversation, presentations, and celebration.
On this occasion, we also premiered a short film (featured at the top of this post) showcasing some of ACOR’s many projects, including the Petra Church and the Temple of Winged Lions. Produced especially for ACOR’s 50th year, this video provides great insight into what ACOR does and how we have evolved over time. We are excited to be able to share the final product with you today, and we extend our thanks to filmmakers Ghassan Salti and Mohammud Ali and former ACOR Development Officer Miriam Saleh for all their hard work producing it. A video clip on USAID SCHEP, implemented by ACOR, was also created for the event by the SCHEP team.
Truly, the past 50 years have been an incredible journey, and one that we look forward to continuing with your support.
By Starling Carter, ACOR Development Assistant
