Genesis Women’s Shelter is pleased to announce that Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan will be the keynote speaker at the organization’s 16^th annual Genesis Mother’s Day Luncheon, “Peace on Earth Begins at Home,” Friday, May 8, 2009, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Landmark Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion, 300 Reunion Blvd.   Doors open at 11 a.m.   Honorary Co-Chairs are Ruth Altshuler and her daughter Susan Sharp and Luncheon Co-Chairs are Joan Eleazer and her daughter Layne Pitzer.

“Genesis Women’s Shelter is anticipating a sellout with such a rare appearance by someone so respected for her work across the globe,” said luncheon co-chairs Joan Eleazer and her daughter Layne Pitzer.  “We strongly encourage individuals and corporations to reserve their tables early.”

Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan is an international humanitarian activist and an outspoken voice on issues of world peace and justice.  She has played a major role in promoting international exchange and understanding of Arab and Muslim culture and politics, Arab-Western relations, conflict prevention and recovery issues such as refugees, missing persons, poverty and disarmament.  Her international conflict recovery and peacebuilding work over the past decade has focused on the Middle East, the Balkans, Central and Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa.  Since 1980, the initiatives of the Noor Al Hussein Foundation (NHF) which she chairs have advanced and modernized development thinking in Jordan by progressing beyond traditional charity oriented social welfare practices to integrate social development strategies more closely with national economic priorities.  Queen Noor also chairs the King Hussein Foundation (NHF) and the King Hussein Foundation International (KHFI) founded in 1999 to promote and build on King Hussein’s humanitarian vision and legacy in Jordan and abroad. 

Queen Noor was born Lisa Najeeb Halaby to an Arab American family distinguished for its public service.  She married His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan in 1978 and was renamed Queen Noor al Hussein upon her conversion to Islam.  Queen Noor has four children with King Hussein.

“Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan’s passion for peace throughout the world is a wonderful tie-in to Genesis Women’s Shelter’s work toward peace and safety for families at home,” said Jan Langbein, Genesis Women’s Shelter Executive Director and immediate past Senior Policy Advisor to the Director of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).  “We are so grateful for the support of this community which enables us to provide safety, shelter and services to thousands of area women and children in need.” 

Underwriting opportunities begin at $1,500 for a table of 10.  Individual tickets are $150.  For more information on underwriting opportunities please contact Kristen Howell, Director of Development at 214-389-7703 or khowell@genesisshelter.org.  The luncheon is sponsored by NBC 5, KXAS-TV.

Since its founding in 1985, Genesis Women's Shelter has been committed to providing quality safety and shelter to battered women and their children through crisis intervention and short-term crisis therapeutics and to reducing the occurrence of violence against women and children in the greater Dallas area.  Genesis also seeks to raise the level of community awareness regarding the pervasiveness and effects of domestic violence. The organization serves more than 700 residential clients and 1,000 non-resident clients through the Outreach office each year.  More information can be found by visiting genesisshelter.org or by calling the office at 214-389-7700 or the hotline at 214-946-HELP.

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