Abdul Hameed Shoman Cultural Forum

The Abdul Hameed Shoman Cultural Forum was established in 1986 as a beacon of culture and creativity in Jordan and the Arab world. It was created by the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation to provide a platform for a broad audience to engage with renowned scientists, thinkers, writers, poets, artists, politicians, economists, educators, and other distinguished creatives. Through weekly lectures and seminars, the forum facilitates discussions and the sharing of ideas, enriching cultural life in Jordan and the Arab region.

The forum hosts prominent local, Arab, and international figures from intellectual and cultural circles across the globe. These activities are documented and published in books issued regularly.

The Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation aims to achieve two primary goals through these activities:

1. Encouraging and facilitating the exchange of information and dissemination of knowledge.
2. Promoting democratic dialogue as a means to address the challenges facing the Arab world.

The forum serves as a vital connection between the foundation and its Jordanian and Arab audience by offering lectures, seminars, and other events. Over the years, the forum has worked to diversify the topics of its public lectures, aligning with its founding mission to become a distinguished cultural landmark in Jordan and the Arab world. Its high-level presentations and commitment to contemporary thought, as well as its respect for heritage, have made it widely recognized.

Programs and Activities

The forum organizes a variety of activities, including:

• Weekly Monday Lectures
• Debates
• Discussion Circles
• Specialized Seminars
• Guest of the Year and Guest of Honor Programs

All these events are open to the public, fostering accessibility and engagement.

Abdul Hameed Shoman Cultural Forum Programs

Monday Lectures

This program hosts Jordanian and Arab speakers at the forum’s premises to discuss topics relevant to Jordanian and Arab audiences. The Monday Lectures program covers a variety of compelling and controversial issues that capture public interest.

The forum sheds light on current affairs, focusing on topics that resonate with public opinion, such as freedoms, education, artificial intelligence, legislation, politics, public administration, social issues, poverty, women’s and children’s rights. These discussions aim to advocate for positive changes, particularly in public freedoms, freedom of expression, media rights, and women-related legislation.

The forum provides the audience with opportunities to ask questions, share opinions, and engage in dialogue with the speakers, fostering a culture of discussion, respect for differing viewpoints, and the right to express opinions.

Through debates, the forum introduces the public to controversial and complex issues, encouraging constructive discourse to support positive change by building arguments and defending perspectives.

The program also includes the Youth Platform, which focuses on engaging young people in public issues, giving them space to think about their concerns and connect with public figures. Discussions often center on education, employment, youth initiatives, and project funding.

To learn about the next Monday Lecture, visit the Events Calendar.

Roundtable Discussions

The forum invites recognized experts from Jordan and the Arab world to engage in roundtable discussions on issues affecting local and regional societies, particularly those related to scientific research and its challenges. These sessions gather specialists to exchange insights in a collaborative format.

Local and Arab Seminars

• Local Seminars: Focus on specific local social, political, cultural, or economic issues. At least 12 researchers, primarily from Jordan, participate in day-long or multi-day sessions.
• Joint Arab Seminars: Conducted in partnership with Arab cultural institutions, these seminars bring together Arab and Jordanian speakers to discuss issues of regional or global significance over one or more days.

Workshops

Each year, the forum organizes two creative writing workshops, covering genres such as storytelling, novel writing, poetry, and open-text composition. These workshops, led by Jordanian and Arab trainers, are announced on social media platforms. Participants include:

• Young writers with creative talents.
• Young journalists and media professionals seeking to enhance their writing skills.
• University and institute students aiming to develop their creative abilities and gain key writing techniques.

Participants are selected based on eligibility criteria, and workshops typically run for several days.

Guest of Honor

To showcase the best global practices in development and to advocate for change in policies, procedures, and legislation, the forum launched the Guest of Honor program in 2015. This program identifies prominent international figures who have made significant contributions to comprehensive development, education, or technological progress in their countries.

The program includes a full schedule of activities, such as public lectures and meetings with Jordanian officials and specialists. Events take place both within and outside the institution.

Notable past guests include:

• Former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
• Former Head of Singapore’s Economic Development Board, Dr. Philip Yeo.

The forum documents these lectures to enrich Arab cultural content and provide a resource for researchers. They can be viewed here.

Guest of the Year

Since 1997, the forum has implemented the Guest of the Year program to honor Jordanian scientists, academics, and creatives. This program celebrates the contributions of individuals who have significantly advanced scientific, societal, cultural, or intellectual fields in Jordan.

A full-day event is held in their honor, with scholars and researchers sharing written testimonials about the guest’s ideas and achievements. These contributions are compiled into a published book.

The institution documents these events to enrich Arab cultural content and serve as a resource for researchers. View past lectures here.