University of Jordan Bestows Honorary Doctorate upon Queen Rania

Yesterday, Queen Rania of Jordan was bestowed an honorary doctorate in educational sciences by the University of Jordan. She received the degree from the University of Jordan’s president Khaled Karaki for her many contributions to the educational system in Jordan. The university was established in 1962 by decree of the late King Hussein bin Talel.


Below is the full text of Queen Rania’s speech at the University of Jordan after receiving her honorary doctorate in educational sciences.

"In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,"

"Your Excellency the President of the University of Jordan, distinguished professors, students,"

"Peace be upon you, God’s mercy and His blessings."

"Thank you for granting me an honorary doctorate from the University of Jordan – Jordan’s first university, which brought higher education to our country forty three years ago at a ceremony patronized by His Majesty, the late King Hussein bin Talal. There and then, His Majesty stood here to receive his honorary doctorate, and to graduate the first batch of students from this highly acclaimed educational establishment. At the time, there were one hundred and sixty seven students enrolled here. Over the past four decades, this university has graduated over one hundred and thirty thousand students, who stand witness of a prosperous future that started from here, from the lecturing halls of this great university."

"A couple months ago, I visited your campus – I walked through the Engineering Square. I wanted to meet with you in person, face to face. I wanted to enjoy the spirit of youth, its energy, passion for life, and unbound imaginations. I overheard some of the conversations you were having and felt myself going back to my twenties, and was overwhelmed by memories of my own university days."

"Your conversations there reminded me of my own conversations with my friends on campus, and in the dorms. With a future we knew nothing about, but anxiously wanted to delve into, we had the same worries, ambitions, responsibilities, families, and love. We shared the same feelings and hopes of youth everywhere."

"It is said, if you want to know something about a society, study its youth. When I look at you – you fill me with pride - educated, intellectual, diverse talents, courageous and holding your heads high. You are the pride of His Majesty King Abdullah and mine. When we travel we carry with us the success, achievements and offerings of our country’s youth everywhere. We tell your stories wherever we go, stories about the participation of the Jordanian youth as you help build society. We tell stories about Alia who, since ninth grade, has taught the women and girls in her community how to use computers. We tell stories about Mohammed, a sophomore at university, who volunteers to read to orphans twice a week. We tell stories about Rasha who helped in a kindergarten during her secondary school years. And we tell stories about Salma who taught kids how to draw in her spare time."

"Individual efforts, that may appear small, but have a big impact."

"When I overheard your discussions, politics were at the core: the tragic situation in Gaza; turbulences paralyzing Lebanon; violence and sectarianism threatening the people of Iraq. But the core of your interests was the situation in our beloved country, Jordan."

"I was touched by your love for your country. People are politicians by instinct – this is what the Greeks said when they named the society “polic”, the root for politician. They were not only referring to political events that we watch on the news. They meant citizenship. The “apolic” is the citizen himself, the individual who interacts with members of his society. They called those who dropped the right of the society for their effective participation - the “non-participatory”, who do not contribute towards decision making, or defining what they lack, or benefit for them and their society. The non-participatory follow preset routes without expressing their own views or influence."

"But Jordan’s youth are politicians. Their sense of responsibility towards their nation, themselves and their society is very evident."

"We are all that Arab spirit that His Majesty, the late King Hussein, called for building on this soil some four decades age, from your university. He called for “a spirit that blends the light of right with that of knowledge”. Yes, we are one harmonious spirit, a nation in one body, one identity, one destiny, and each individual is a responsible politician for himself and for others."

"Some of us may lose sight and find it difficult to focus and define where to start, or how to participate in influencing society. Others may believe that social responsibility is for others and overlook the fact that those participating do not take the place of those who are not. Building our future is a social responsibility that excludes nobody. It is your responsibility, and my responsibility. It is ‘and’ and not ‘or’. It is the responsibility of every Jordanian so that none of us finds himself on a path that has already been set for him. If you – the educated, the graduates, the politicians – do not participate in improving society, who will? If we do not move now, then when will we? If we do not help the less fortunate, and provide education for the less educated, and be compassionate towards the sick, who would? And when?"

"You are the ‘organs’ of this body, and you owe your body proper maintenance."

"And we all owe it to Jordan. From here, from this pulpit, and in front of you – I pledge to do more. But I need your help, for I am stronger through others, I am stronger through you."

"We need to work so that our efforts can shed light on the areas that rays of hope do not reach. Together, we will be able to stop recurring accidents on our streets; provide a book for each child to expand their imaginations and understanding; empower our women through projects that elevate their levels and societies. Together we can enter each home and corner, to open a window that allows the rays of Jordan’s sun in."

"And because you are that light, and that hope, His Majesty King Abdullah II launched the commission for ‘We are all Jordan’ aiming to activate your role in the political, economic, social, and development areas, to ensure you are the force of development and reform that Jordan aspires to achieve. This vision requires a general Jordanian youth initiative that involves university students in particular. Empowering a society always starts from schools, colleges and universities. The future starts in those rooms. Bearing this in mind, over the past few years His Majesty and I have worked to launch a number of initiatives that focus on education and teachers. In a few days we are going to launch a new initiative, “Madrasati”, which makes education a social responsibility. In our Kingdom, there are 500 schools in desperate need for basic infrastructure and repair."

“Madrasati” is based on the principles of participation and partnership. We need this partnership in education to rehabilitate the schools for our future generations. The initiative relies on private schools and companies to help renovate public schools. We also need every Jordanian to help us create an environment capable of absorbing the energies of our children, building their personalities, and fostering their talents. This will be an initiative where teachers become inspirers and guides who expand their students’ horizons and provide them with the tools they need."

“Madrasati” is your school. It needs your work and determination to renovate its walls, decorate its classes, inspire its students, and to enable students to become an effective force in society – as you have become. I need you to give some of your time to develop our schools and provide safe environments for our children. These are the schools of our future generations— your own children in a few years’ time, God willing."

"In the near future, we shall harvest the fruits of your decision to participate in “Madrasati”. This future starts the minute you decide to imprint your fingerprint upon it."

"A young girl of your age decided to play a role in the lives of others through voluntary work. She reminds herself all the time of the story that inspires her dedication. The story says that on one of the beaches a man saw a boy picking things off the beach and throwing them in the sea. The old man was surprised and went to him to ask him what he was doing."

"The boy said, I am returning the star fish back to the water; it is nearly rising tide time.”

"The man said, But son, the beach extends hundreds of miles, and millions of star fish have washed up on the shores by the tide. You will not be able to change all their destinies and return them to the sea.”

"The boy picked another star fish and threw it into the sea, challenging the man, as he said, But I have changed the destiny of this one.”

Professors, distinguished audience, our youth,

"The destiny of Jordan is in the hands of Jordanians. Each one of us has a role to play, and each one of us is a light that will illuminate when other lights fade. And if each one of us changes the destiny of one star, we will illuminate the whole nation with light and rays."

"Peace be upon you, God’s mercy, and His blessings."

Photos: REUTERS