SOAR - Amman Chapter
Amman joined the SOAR family in May 2015. Armenians in Jordan are ethnic Armenians living within the current Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. There were about 6,000 Armenians living in Jordan between 1930 and 1946. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, a new wave of immigrants arrived from Palestine to increase the number of Armenians to about 10,000. Starting in the 1950s, however, and particularly after the 1967 Arab-Israeli Six-Day War, Jordan witnessed the emigration of a large number of Armenians to Australia, Canada, and the United States. There are approximately 3,000 Armenians living in the country today, with Armenians comprising the largest majority of non-Arab Christians in Jordan.
Most Armenian organizations and schools and religious structures are located in Amman’s Jabal Al-Ashrafieh neighborhood, also commonly called the Armenian Neighborhood. There are three Armenian churches in Jordan: 1) St. Thaddeus Armenian Apostolic Church, in Amman; 2) St. Garabed Church, in Jordan River; and 3) and the Armenian Catholic Church of St. Sahag and St. Mesrob. Armenian education is very important in maintaining Armenian language and identity among the Armenian community in Jordan, and Amman is host to many Armenian institutions, cultural associations, and a school.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Dalia Ajweh
President
Dalia is a youth and adolescent specialist with over ten years of experience designing mental health and psychosocial support programs (MHPSS). She obtained a Master’s in community development and youth studies from Bolton University. She has worked in diverse settings, including refugee camps, juvenile centers, protection centers, and community-based MHPSS programs in Palestine and Jordan. Dalia is highly motivated to find new and innovative ways to integrate art with mental health interventions. In her free time, Dalia can be found trekking mountains and enjoying nature, often without cell reception.