Under the patronage of the Princess of Jordan
Convinced of the vital role played by women in educating future generations in healthy, sustainable eating habits, and of their significant contribution to spreading the culture of olive oil consumption, the IOC continues to support all women involved in the world olive sector. It was in this capacity that IOC Executive Director Jaime Lillo expressed his interest in the event organized from May 25 to 30 in Jordan by the Arab Olive Oil Women’s Network, led by Jordanian engineer Nehayah Shaher Almuhaisin.
Imene Trabelsi, Head of the IOC’s Promotion Department, represented the Organization at this event, which included a high-level scientific conference organized under the patronage of Her Highness Princess Basma bint Ali bin Naif of Jordan, and attended by numerous experts from Arab and European countries, as well as representatives of the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture and international institutions.
The program also included numerous olive tourism activities and awareness-raising seminars for rural women and young university students at a number of Jordanian sites (schools, museums, cultural and historical centers, etc.), as well as olive groves and oil mills located in various Jordanian towns (Ajloun, Wadi Rum, Irbid, Petra, etc.).
For Imene Trabelsi, “this event was an excellent opportunity to present the IOC’s activities and to communicate on best practices for producing quality olive oil in line with IOC trade standards, and on the role of quality labels”. The Jordanian authorities and key players in the olive sector were very interested in strengthening cooperation with the IOC.
On the occasion of the scientific conference entitled “Olive oil, the miracle of the Mediterranean basin“, organized by the Arab Olive Oil Women’s Network in cooperation with the Pandolea association headed by Italian expert Loriana Abbruzzetti, and held under the patronage of Princess Basma bint Ali bin Naif, Honorary President of the Jordanian Olive Oil Women’s Network, the Princess expressed her passion and deep interest in the olive sector. Recalling her country’s profound ties with the olive tree, Her Highness emphasized the role of women in spreading olive oil culture.
In her speech, Imene Trabelsi stressed the need to adopt effective marketing strategies to promote olive oil and ensure better access to niche markets through tourism activities offering tourists the chance to learn more about the olive oil production chain, the historical roots of olive culture and enjoy an immersive consumption experience of olive products. On behalf of the IOC’s Executive Director, she presented the Princess of Jordan with a box containing the winning olive oils of the 2024 IOC’s Mario Solinas Quality Awards.