CoffeeTalk Jerash:

Dialogue, Development, New Possibilities for the Governorate

A Final Conversation Rooted in Real Questions

Jerash brings together history, people, and a strong sense of community. On 12/11, this setting hosted the final session of CoffeeTalk, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom’s initiative designed to provide open and accessible spaces for meaningful public dialogue.
Organised in collaboration with Opinions Beyond Borders, the session brought together decision makers, local voices, and development practitioners with a shared intention: to understand Jerash’s current reality and explore its future in a practical and responsible way.

The room welcomed straightforward discussion on priorities, development gaps, and the steps required to move from ideas to implementation.

Opening the Space: Listening Before Solving

The session began with introductions and welcoming remarks from Engineer Mu’attasem Abu Hamdan, who encouraged participants to engage with clarity and openness. His message underscored the value of entering a conversation without predetermined conclusions.

When H.E. Dr. Malek Khreisat, Governor of Jerash, addressed the attendees, he highlighted the governorate’s characteristics, current challenges, and overlooked potential. His remarks emphasised that any credible development effort starts with a realistic understanding of local conditions.

Learning Through Data: Seeing Jerash as It Is

One of the central components of the session was the presentation on the development reality of Jerash Governorate. Participants did not receive numbers in isolation; they received a structured overview that helped them examine:

• economic indicators and employment trends

• areas where public services face pressure

• opportunities with measurable impact

• Jerash’s position within national trends

• challenges influencing residents’ daily lives

This segment offered a clear, evidence-based understanding of the governorate’s situation and encouraged participants to evaluate development issues with precision rather than assumption.

A Conversation That Grew Into Problem-Solving

With this shared understanding, the discussion shifted toward practical reflection.
Decision makers, community leaders, and development experts considered:

• urgent priorities requiring coordinated responses

• gaps that limit effective progress

• opportunities that could strengthen local development

• the role of community participation in improving solutions

The exchange remained direct and constructive, creating an atmosphere where participants evaluated issues realistically and explored feasible next steps.
One participant noted, “Conversations like this help us focus on what matters, not on what distracts us.”

Closing the Session, Opening a Path

As the session drew to a close, the atmosphere carried clarity and direction. The participants examined Jerash not through abstract debate, but through data, lived experience, and honest reflection.

This session marked the final CoffeeTalk of the year, wrapping up a series that brought dialogue to different communities across Jordan. Jerash offered a fitting closing point — grounded, realistic, and deeply connected to the questions people navigate every day.

One attendee summarised the value of the series: “When we sit together like this, we understand our challenges better — and we understand each other better.”

With the completion of this year’s CoffeeTalk sessions, the initiative now moves toward its next phase. The ideas developed in Jerash — and throughout the series — guide the way forward: consistent dialogue, informed perspectives, and a shared commitment to practical progress.

Jerash did not close the chapter. It set the direction for what comes next.