King Felipe Speaks at the Spanish-German Forum

Queen Rania Speaks At Harvard Forum

Queen Rania took part in a virtual forum hosted by the Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics on March 8th. She addressed issues of global disparity, climate change, education, refugees, and challenges for women in the workplace. The queen recalled her discussion from thirteen years ago, and remarked how social media was not as integrated into society as it is now. 

The forum was held in celebration of International Women's Day.

Charles, Felipe and Haakon Address Google Zeitgeist Forum

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway spoke about dignity at the Zeitgeist Europe 2009 conference in Hertfordshire this week. He reminded the audience of the importance to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and to view things from a global perspective by respecting cultural differences whilst helping the underprivileged in health, economic and educational issues.

Below is the eurozeitgeist's Channel You Tube video featuring Prince Haakon’s speech at the Zeitgeist Europe 2009 forum.

The Prince of Wales focussed on climate change in his speech beginning with a view of his Rainforests Project YouTube video clip. He then elicited laughter from the audience when he said after his introduction, “the great thing about Google…as I get older and forget who I am...perhaps I am a frog...and where I live I just can press a button and remind myself instantaneously and from a bird’s eye perspective. So we are very grateful to Google.” Besides the occasional lighthearted quip, the prince addressed the challenges facing the 21st century and said, “it seems appropriate to talk only about how we can move forwards learning from the wisdom of the past towards a truly sustainable future.”

Below is the eurozeitgeist's Channel You Tube video featuring the Prince of Wales' speech at the Zeitgeist Europe 2009 forum.

Before launching into his speech, the Prince of Asturias expressed his appreciation for the guitar music introduction playing over the speakers as he stepped up to the podium. He pitched the idea of tapping into the potential of Ibero-America by saying, “I would like to talk to you a little bit about a part of the world that is closely linked to Spain for many reasons and very dear to our hearts: what we call Ibero-America. I intend to present you a few ideas to explain why we consider this region and its peoples of great interest to us, and why we believe today the world, particularly Europe and North America-the West should pay more attention to it, to its great potential to the good opportunity to effectively expand global progress by reinforcing together this great Atlantic area of democracy, stability and development that we form all together.”

Below is the eurozeitgeist's Channel You Tube video featuring the Prince of Asturias' speech at the Zeitgeist Europe 2009 forum.

Queen Rania Addresses Google Zeitgeist Europe '08 Partner Forum

Queen Rania of Jordan was in Hertfordshire on Monday to speak at the exclusive Google Zeitgeist Partner Forum Europe '08. In her speech, she reiterated the importance of dialogue and mentioned the recent launching of her YouTube channel “to try to dismantle the negative stereotypes about {the Middle East} region that undermine so much trust between the Arab world and the West.” The queen has received over a million hits to her video blog which was introduced in March. Rania expressed her optimism with the project and said, “for all the tensions, most people on both sides agree that the relationship between the Muslim and Western worlds is something important to them.

“Not only {have} that, but when people actually get to know one another personally, their preconceptions melt away and their attitudes towards one another improve.”

“And here’s the best part: A journey of a thousand miles can begin with a single click. With new technologies, we don’t have to leave home to make a friend half a world away.”

As she closed her remarks, the queen expressed her desire to empower the next generation with skills and opportunities that insured global success in the workplace with the following statement: “In a world where stereotypes are assumed to be the norm, would two twenty-something kids working out of their parents’ basement ever have had the chance to turn a research project into a worldwide synonym for fun, innovation and success?”

“We must make sure that the same chances are there for the Pages and Brins of the Arab world…that they have the same opportunities of walking out of garage doors into global boardrooms…and that executives don’t shut those doors because they think they know what to expect from the Middle East.”

“You can help empower the Google generation– not only in the online world, but in the one world we call home.”

The entire speech by Queen Rania at the Google Zeitgeist Partner Forum Europe’08 can be read here.

Photo: Petra