Jordan Times
Monday, March 13, 2006
Queen urges young women
to make a difference
AMMAN (JT) — Her Majesty Queen Rania spoke to hundreds of young women gathered
in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, sharing her experiences, and urging them to write their
life story and make a difference in their communities.
“So often, the problems we face seem so huge, and the means at hand so few, yet
often, what we have will be enough,” Queen Rania said in her address at Zayed
University's Women as Global Leaders Conference, during a one-day trip to the
United Arab Emirates capital.
The audience of approximately 1,000 students, from 87 countries, listened
attentively as Queen Rania advised them on ways to make a difference, according
to a statement from the Queen's office.
“The greatest leaders are not the ones with spines of steel — they are the ones
who know how to adapt to change... and bounce back from frustration or
failure... The trick to keeping our feet firmly on the ground is to prioritise
and be open to compromise, “ she said.
“Some days we will not know whether to laugh or cry. But trying to be everything
to everyone, at the time, is a recipe for disaster...” the Queen told the
students.
She concluded her speech by reminding them to fill their lives with things that
make them happy and proud.
“So remember: The pages of your life belong to you. Write a story that makes you
happy and proud. And, someday, somewhere, a wonderful little girl will read it
and say, `I want to be just like her',” Queen Rania said.
Other speakers at the opening session included Mary Robinson, former president
of Ireland and UN high commissioner for human rights, and Sheikha Lubna Al
Qassimi, UAE minister of economy and CEO of Tejari.
Robinson focused on women's rights and progress towards achieving those rights.
“Progress has been made but there are many challenges,” she said, adding that
she is optimistic that “women will prevail.”
Qassimi focused on the role of women in the UAE's transition to a global player.
“One of the challenges that all of us must undertake is to change the
misperception that Arab women are downtrodden, that we don't have choices or
rights... we can change this wrong impression... through our actions. By
exercising our freedoms and responsibilities, we confirm that they exist.”
This year's conference, Communities in Transition, is the second annual Women as
Global Leaders Conference hosted by Zayed University.
This annual event brings together female college and university students from
around the world to interact with prominent women leaders, learn lifelong
leadership skills and share intercultural experiences.