Remembering Lt General Ihsan Shurdom: A Legacy of Peace and Smart Partnership

Our dear friend and colleague Ihsan – Lt General Ihsan Shurdom, former Chief of Staff of the Royal Jordanian Airforce – died on June 9th. Ihsan fulfilled in combination two essential aspects of Smart Partnership: first articulating, symbolizing and shaping the Smart Partnership Way within the Movement, and secondly living out the principles of Smart and constructive engagement, in particular through facilitating initial contacts between retired Jordanian and Israeli military officers under the sponsorship of the Initiative for Peace and Cooperation in the Middle East, as well as taking part over many years in Peace Dialogues both in the region and beyond.

Over a quarter of a century his was an especially wise presence: whether in the broader forum of CPTM Global International Dialogues, at London-based Think-Tanking events or in Board Meetings with Director colleagues where, often with subtle humour, he brought discussion back to basic Smart Partnership values and resource realities.The loss of Ihsan, who died from complications after heart surgery, overshadowed the CPTM High Commissioners Briefing in London on June 10^th, which followed the earlier Epsom Directors Workshop, where – in other circumstances – his contribution and his company would have been expected and hugely welcomed. Beyond the Commonwealth, Ihsan was a recipient- with the Copenhagen Group – of the Peace Award from the European Foundation for Culture and the Rose Prize from the Labour Movement of Denmark. He also received an Honorary Doctorate from Kalamazoo College in Michigan for his commitment to international peace. Through his earlier service career, as a fighter pilot, he received the Jordanian Military Gallantry Medal, the Bravery Medal of Iraq and the Medal of Bahrain. He was also a Board Member and Treasurer of the Petra National Trust which looks after the protection of that UNESCO World Heritage site. Ihsan’s wife Margaret, duly honoured as a CPTM Companion, joined him at many CPTM events. The Board extends to her its deep sympathy and looks forward to staying in Smart touch with her in the future.