Jordan Times
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Queen shares personal insights, cross-cultural message with thousands of women in California
AMMAN (JT)- Recalling childhood anecdotes and
some of the defining moments of her life, Her Majesty Queen Rania addressed an
audience of 14,000 women in Long Beach, California, on Tuesday.
The Queen’s speech carried a message of cross-cultural understanding and
emphasised that “we are all much more alike than we are different; the
experiences that shape us, no matter where we grow up bring out the same very
human responses - of tears and laughter, fear and courage, uncertainty and
enlightenment”.
Speaking at the California Governor and First Lady’s Conference on Women, Her
Majesty shared several personal experiences ranging from a moment of clarity in
nursery school to dining with her late father-in-law, His Majesty King Hussein,
for the first time.
Approaching the first meal with her then-father-in-law-to-be withsome
trepidation, Queen Rania, at 22 years of age, was pleasantlysurprised and
immediately at ease, she recalls.
“It was quite an experience to bemeeting the King over a casual meal of falafel,
just like any otherJordanian family might serve, with no protocol or pretence,”
shesaid, “and when I think back on that moment now, it underscores forme the
importance of the first pledge we have taken today - ofshowing up in our lives
as ourselves, because whatever title or officewe may be privileged to hold, it
is what we do that defines who weare. It is how we treat others. What values we
embrace. What example we set for our children.”
“It is not the rank or the role that matters. And it is not what wehave. It is
what we give,” she reminded the audience of high-profilewomen from the
entertainment, business and media industries as wellas political spouses and
Nobel laureates who gathered at the annual event to outline their roles as
architects of change.
Drawing on other lessons she learned from the late King, QueenRania referred to
King Hussein’s historical role in thepeace talks at Wye River nine years ago.
“His Majesty was dying. Yet he wasunyielding in his total commitment to peace -
his determination tobuild a better tomorrow for all the children of Abraham. He
breathedlife into a quest for peace that many had thought was doomed. Heennobled
those around him by the force of his great spirit. And that is what made him a
king,” she said.
“I am so proud that my husband, King Abdullah, is carrying on that legacy -
relentlessly pushing foran end to the conflicts that have torn apart our region
for too long,” she added.
The lesson learned from His Majesty’s selfless and admirable gesture is:“Each of
us, in our own small realm, can be the ones who greet the world with open arms.
We can be the ones who demonstrate, in the words of King Hussein, ‘that peace
resides ultimately not in the hands of governments but in the hands of the
people’. And we can teach our children that in our interdependent world, we have
to be able to depend on one another.”
Her Majesty, who has been speaking internationally about the common values of
humanity, also shared the tragic story of the aftermath of the Amman bombings,
when she visited survivors and victims’ families.
“If you had been there, you would have wept with me, and our tears would have
been indistinguishable, because there is no Arab way, no American way, of loving
and losing a child. The voice of the heart needs no translation. The way we feel
is exactly the same. Whatever we look like, wherever we live, however we pray,
we respond to human suffering as human beings,” she said.
Many of Queen Rania’s programmes have focused on recognising the common values
of humanity, appreciating the various perspectives in the world, and bridging
the cultural divide between East and West because, she believes that “more than
ever our fates are intertwined – and our friendship must know no boundaries”.
On a lighter note, the Queen also revisited much earlier memories and spoke of
an interesting lesson learned in nursery school when she was first exposed to
new types of food. Queen Rania cited her initial reaction to peanut butter - a
snack that at first glance she found strange and unappealing, only to discover
how delightful the taste was to her palate.
“So often today, in a world grown smaller, we are forced to confront new things
- new people, new cultures, new ways of behaviour - that are different from what
we are used to. And change can be scary. People often seek refuge by circling
the wagons - clinging tightly to what they know and trying to wall out what they
do not.”
Her Majesty warned of the dangerous consequences of exclusion, saying, “When we
do that, we diminish ourselves. We deprive ourselves of life’s richness. And at
worst, we perpetuate ignorance that breeds prejudice and fear. I am afraid we
are seeing that trend today in the tensions between East and West, with each
side encumbered by stereotypes of what the other must be like.”
Touching upon different perspectives from both sides on issues such as Islam and
women, the Queen called for a better understanding of the other side. “The more
we try to stand in one another’s shoes and appreciate one another’s perspective,
the more dimension, depth and texture we’ll ultimately add to our own,” she
said.
The day-long conference featured a number of known speakers, entertainers,
journalists and politicians - and included an on-stage discussion with spouses
of the 2008 US presidential candidates and a session between California Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger and former British prime minister Tony Blair, who signed a
landmark pact on global warming issues last year.
Event host Maria Shriver recognised five California women for their outstanding
humanitarian work. Among them was her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who was
honoured with a lifetime achievement award for decades of work in a host of
educational, medical and healthcare areas. Mrs. Shriver is the founder and
honorary chairperson of the Special Olympics, the international organisation
that demonstrates the achievements of people with intellectual disabilities
through sports and now involves 2.5 million athletes in 165 countries.
While at the convention centre, Her Majesty also toured the exhibition hall
where Jordanian handicrafts are on display at the Jordan River Foundation (JRF)
booth.
As chairperson of JRF, Queen Rania ensured that the foundation had a stall to
showcase items crafted by JRF beneficiaries to an international audience.