Ukrainian community in Jordan mainly consists of women citizens of Ukraine married to citizens of Jordan and children of mixed marriages.
Starting from Soviet Union, a large number of Jordanians have come to Ukraine to get higher education. Nowadays, more than 3,000 Jordanian students continue to study in Ukraine. Many of them create families with Ukrainian citizens and go back to Jordan. Children from such mixed marriages get Ukrainian citizenship by birth.
As of April 7, 2019, 914 Ukrainian citizens (655 adults and 259 minors) are registered in counselor section. According to official Jordanian data, 1843 Ukrainian women married to Jordanians and live in Kingdom. According to the Embassy’s information, the number of Ukrainian citizens in the Kingdom is about 5 thousand people.
Most of Ukrainian citizens live in the largest cities in Jordan - Amman, Zarqa, Madaba, Irbid, Aqaba, Karak.
With the assistance of the Embassy, the unification of the Ukrainian community in Jordan has taken place. An important result of the work was the launch and grand opening on September 3, 2016 NGO "Ukrainian House in Jordan," which was dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of Ukraine's Independence. Also, on December 30, 2016, with the support of the diplomatic mission, the official opening ceremony of the cultural center "Vodograi" was held, which was closed on October 1, 2017 due to the difficult financial situation.
The purpose of the NGO "Ukrainian House in Jordan" is to promote Ukrainian language and culture among the Ukrainian and local communities. There are such classes as: Ukrainian and Arabic languages, art, fine art, modern dance, traditional hopak, fitness for kids and others. In addition, on February 2017 and 2018, at the initiative of the diplomatic mission, the NGO "Ukrainian House in Jordan" held the International language and literary competition for students of the name of Taras Shevchenko among the Ukrainian community in Jordan. Following the results of the competition in 2017, 6 pupils of the "Ukrainian House in Jordan" were awarded with Diplomas I, II, III degrees of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and became the only representatives from Asian, African and South American countries. The winners were also children from 6 countries: USA, Moldova, Great Britain, Russia and children from Jordan. In 2018, two students of the NGO "Ukrainian House in Jordan" were awarded with Diplomas I and III degrees of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
In May 2017 and in March 2018, with the assistance of the diplomatic mission, representatives of the Ukrainian community in Jordan took part in the Second and Third International project-competition "Taras Shevchenko unites nations" held by the International League of Mothers and Sisters of Youth of Ukraine with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine. Following the results of the contest in 2017, the Jordanian opera singer Zeina Barhoum was awarded the Grand Prix for the skillful embodiment of Shevchenko's spirit in her own creativity and propaganda of the ideas of the Great Kobzar. NGO "Ukrainian House in Jordan" received a diploma of the 2nd degree, for the performance of the author's song "Oh, Kobzar" by the words of Victoria Brychkova - Abu Qadum and the music of Olga Zavydniak. Also Ukrainian Embassy was awarded the Gratitude Certificate for active preparation and participation in the competition. In 2018 O.Zavydniak, V.Lahoda and children group “UA kids” occupied the honorable second position in the nomination of the competition “Singing poetry, author's work on Shevchenko in Ukrainian” the for the performance of the song “When the evening star come out” by the words of V.Brychkova - Abu Qadum and the music of O.Zavydniak as well as Nadiia Ajarme took over the second position in the nomination “Artistic reading of works by T. Shevchenko in Ukrainian” for reading poem “Learn”.
On October 26, 2017, an evening of Ukrainian song and poetry in Amman was held on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Jordan, the Day of Ukrainian Language and Written Language, and the celebration of the first anniversary of the NGO “Ukrainian House in Jordan “. The event was financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the diplomatic mission. In addition, in November 2017, the official presentation of the book by Ukrainian poetess V.Brychkova-Abu Qadum "The Flight Bird " was issued, with the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Ukraine. This is the first book in Ukrainian issued in Jordan.
On March 31, 2018, a concert was held dedicated to the completion of the celebration of Shevchenko's days. Members of "Ukrainian House in Jordan" performed new songs and poems. Well-known Ukrainian artist Ivan Marchuk attended the event, and wished success to participants.
On April 1-7, 2018, the Ukrainian community visited the exhibition "The Voice of My Soul" by I. Marchuk at the Royal Cultural Center.
Members of the NGO “Ukrainian House in Jordan” and their children group “ UA Kids” sing Ukrainian songs and dance a folk dances during international cultural festivals in Amman, in particular, on June 21, 2018 during the celebration of the International Day of Music and on September 8, 2018 at the International Children's Festival. They also participate in the diplomatic and Christmas fairs, which are held under the patronage and with the participation of Princess Basmi Bint Talal and Prince Ra'ad Bin Zeid.
In March 2019, with the assistance of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and diplomatic mission, NGO “Ukrainian House in Jordan” organized and held cultural festival “I love Shevchenko” in the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which was dedicated to the 205th Anniversary of the birth of the Great Kobzar.
Embassy of Ukraine in Jordan