Jordan Times
Monday, April 7, 2008
Queen challenges stereotypes,
urges cross-cultural dialogue
AMMAN (JT) - Her Majesty Queen Rania on Sunday challenged existing stereotypes
and urged an increase in multicultural awareness to over 2,000 students at the
Sorbonne in Paris.
During her speech at La Cité de la Réussite, the Queen warned that with rising
tensions between Western and Eastern societies, the future of young people
across the world are at stake.
“You are the ones who will inherit the world that is taking shape today. You
must decide if you want it to be a world of greater division or greater unity,”
she told the audience.
Many of Queen's programmes have focused on fostering intercultural dialogue
because, she believes, “over time, failing to get to know one another makes
tensions grow worse, not better. It allows preconceptions and biases to stand in
for personal experience”.
Her Majesty reminded the audience: “The only people who benefit from our
disunity are the extremists - the very forces who threaten the hopes we share
for a brighter tomorrow.”
“You were born at a time of increasing multicultural awareness. You have already
been exposed to many more and different cultures than your grandparents could
have imagined. You live in the country with the largest Muslim population in
Europe. And you know that Islam is not monolithic, but a vibrant mosaic of
cultures,” she said.
Her Majesty cited a recently released Gallup poll, which illustrated that while
both East and West do care about fixing the relationship, “they don’t see their
caring reflected. They don’t perceive an equal sense of commitment from the
other side”.
The only way to change this perception, according to the Queen, is “to start by
dismantling mutual stereotypes”.
Queen Rania, who launched a YouTube channel to focus on breaking down
stereotypes and bridging the rift between East and West less than a week ago,
emphasised technology’s role in bringing the global community together.
“Your openness and your willingness to connect will both be powerful assets in
replacing barriers of fear and mistrust with bridges of friendship and peace,”
she said.
Her Majesty also addressed the issue of ending conflicts within societies.
“We know that, as Muslims, we cannot complain that we are negatively stereotyped
by the West unless we ourselves address some of the factors behind those
perceptions,” she said.
After the speech, Queen Rania engaged the students in a dynamic question and
answer session where she encouraged questions on the Middle East.