Queen Letizia Speaks at UNICEF Meeting in New York

Queen Rania Asks for Humanitarian Aid in the Gaza Crisis

Queen Rania of Jordan, UNICEF’s first Eminent Advocate for Children, expressed her concern for the “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza. She is advocating for its civilians, especially the children caught in the crossfire of a strife that has been raging in the region for decades. Below is a YouTube video clip of Queen Rania’s plead for more humanitarian assistance to the Gaza region.

Queen Rania Embraces Our Stories Program

A partnership between UNICEF, Google and One Laptop per Child has formed to launch the initiative, Our Stories. The objective of the program is “to preserve and share the histories and identities of cultures around the world.” Through an audio broadcast, Queen Rania of Jordan, UNICEF’s first Eminent Advocate for Children, encourages children to share their stories with the world.

The initiative, Our Stories, is utilizing the ingenuity of Dave Isay, who founded a non-profit organization called StoryCorps in 2003. Isay’s initial program only contained stories from the United States. Our Stories is expanding the concept by embracing the global network.

Queen Rania summed up her belief in the program, and said: “The message of this project is that every human being has a story that deserves to be heard.”

Denmark's Countess of Frederiksborg Recommences AIDS Campaign

As Patron of the Danish National Committee for UNICEF, Alexandra, countess of Frederiksborg, recommenced the Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS campaign in Denmark yesterday. In her remarks, Alexandra spoke of the anguish that parents feel when their child succumbs to a disease that could have been obviated. “No mother or father should ever experience the incomprehensible sorrow of losing their child and know that it could have been prevented,” she asserted.

For more information on UNICEF’s Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS, visit the official website.

Queen Rania's China Visit

From September 4th to September 7th, Queen Rania of Jordan visited China to champion some causes close to her heart. The queen tirelessly advocates for women, children and education. She is UNICEF’s First Eminent Advocate for Children and a FYGL Foundation Board Member.

While visiting a migrant community located in the Shibalidian Township in Chaoyang District, Beijing, Rania highly praised her hosts.

“I am very impressed by the work that is being done here – and elsewhere in Beijing, and China at large – to address the needs of migrant communities, particularly mothers and children.” “What I have seen here today is a model of good practice in tackling the challenges posed by large migrant communities. It attests to the commitment of the Chinese government, alongside UNICEF, the WHO and other civil society organizations, to ensure that their children have not just the right start, but the best start of life.”

On Friday, she attended the Inaugural Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China and challenged the audience to reexamine their 'global conversations' and ‘cultural chasm.'

"For all the technological advances of our time, we are connected but we are not connecting. Even as global challenges underscore our interdependence, our world remains fragmented."

"We see it in the mutual misunderstanding afflicting the world’s great diverse cultures, not only among different countries but increasingly within them as well. We hear tense debates over immigration, assimilation, and integration."

"And for me, as an Arab, a Muslim, and a member of the global community, the schism that worries me most is the growing gulf of fear and misunderstanding between the Muslim world and the West …our failure to speak the same language…our failure to find common ground in our conversations…our failure to see eye to eye..."

"Sadly, too often when I travel around my region, and to the West, I hear discussions about this cultural chasm dominated by words of blame and hostility, uttered in tones of mistrust and intolerance."

"It seems to me that while global commerce is surging ahead, our global conversation is falling behind."

"Why?"

"I believe we are missing the moral language of the conscience. We are missing the graceful conversation of the heart. We are missing the humanitarian perspective that helps us to see through another person’s eyes... and to empathize – person to person… neighbor to neighbor… us to them..."

"I am convinced that your voices can help change the global conversation…and reassert the basic values that are at the heart of our common humanity – the ABCs of a common language."

"You can be New Champions not only of commerce, but of conciliation; not only of trade but of tolerance; not only of profit, but of peace and understanding."

"You can and must play a key role in bridging the East West divide and one way in which you can do this is to be New Champions of what I call Corporate Multicultural Responsibility..."

"Each of us has a role to play, because we are all on the same team. Because the more our world community pulls together, the more chances every nation and every individual will have to prosper."

"In fact, the official slogan of the Beijing Olympics – ‘One World, One Dream’ – just four simple words - sums it up very well."

"Those four words speak of the Olympic spirit of global unity, an idea that is eternally new even though its origins go back to the beginning of civilization. It is a dream that is every bit as eastern as it is western. For it was a disciple of Confucius, Mencius, who wrote, 'a good citizen in one community will befriend the other citizens of the community; a good citizen of the world will befriend the other citizens of the world.'"

"I hope that when you leave Dalian, and return to your countries, you too are infused with the Olympic spirit, and will join your voices with those of 1.3 billion Chinese people all calling for ‘One World, One Dream’… so that Beijing’s legacy to the world is more than a wonderful Olympic arena…more than words of harmony and hope, but the foundation of a new world team – one that is joined together by mutual respect, common goals, and shared understanding."

Photo: Petra

Queen Rania of Jordan Celebrates Her 37th Birthday

Today, Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan celebrates her 37th birthday. The elegant Rania Al-Yassin was born on August 31, 1970 in Kuwait, Lebanon. She and Abdullah, son of King Hussein and Princess Muna, were married on June 10, 1993. The couple's four children are Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Prince Hashem.

Rania is a dedicated leader devoted to many causes in Jordan and internationally.Some notable contributions include her work with UNICEF's Global Leadership Initiative for Children, World Economic Forum Foundation Board, WHO Patron for Violence Prevention in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Global Ambassador for Women for Women International, United Nations Foundation Board of Directors, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, FINCA, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region ambassador of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, International Youth Foundation, Jordan Education Society and the Jordan River Foundation. In January 2007, she was named UNICEF's first Eminent Advocate for Children.

By royal degree, Queen Rania holds the honorary rank of colonel in the Jordanian Armed Forces. She was conferred this honor in June 2004.

Rania summed up her role as queen to the Jordanian people in the following quote."Many people are awestruck by the title of “Queen”, but for me, it is a job that incorporates several roles. Primarily, my duty is to partner His Majesty in his efforts to improve the standard of living of all Jordanians. While respecting our traditions, we are determined to build Jordan into a modern civil society and model for the region by ensuring sustainable levels of economic growth and social development. In addition, I work in areas related to child protection and family safety, women’s empowerment, the creation of opportunities for youth, and culture and tourism. Daunting? Yes. Impossible? No. In fact, such challenges energize me."

For more information on her initiatives, interviews and speeches, visit Queen Rania's official website.

Photo: Petra

Queen Rania Promotes the Health Benefits of Breastfeeding Infants

As UNICEF’s eminent advocate for children, Queen Rania of Jordan released the following statement regarding World Breastfeeding Week 2007.

“There's nothing more natural, nothing more instinctive, and nothing more effective than breastfeeding. Protecting her baby is a mother's first instinct and a mother's milk is the most powerful vaccine there is against infectious and non-infectious disease.”

“That is why I am proud of UNICEF's efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of breast-feeding. As a mother of four, I know, firsthand, that breast milk is the best defense system and the best start in life I could have given my children.”

“Parents in the developing world have a right to this knowledge and to the support that they need to initiate and sustain breastfeeding. Exclusive breast-feeding provides their newborns with essential proteins and irreplaceable immunity, it decreases the risk of diarrhea and respiratory infections, and it offers growth and nutrition factors that enhance their babies’ health and overall odds for survival beyond their first year.”

“The fact is: breast-feeding can save lives. Exclusive breast-feeding for up to six months can reduce child mortality by 13 per cent. Early initiation within the first hour of birth can prevent 22 per cent of all neonatal deaths. These are not statistics any mother wants to gamble with.”

“Help us save lives. Join UNICEF and other partners on World Breast-feeding Week and help us spread the word to make exclusive breastfeeding an absolute priority.”

Luxembourg’s Grand Duchess Appointed Eminent Advocate for Children

Today, Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg has been appointed an Eminent Advocate for Children by UNICEF. The organization’s first Eminent Advocate for Children was bestowed on Queen Rania of Jordan in January. The Grand Duchess will focus on “children impacted by conflict and children who are affected by HIV and AIDS.”

With the experiences of being a mother and grandmother, the Grand Duchess wholeheartedly supports children causes and said, "I believe the most important thing we can do for children is to protect them and help provide them with the life skills and knowledge they need, to have healthy lives and a better future. UNICEF's work is based on the worth and dignity of the child, and I am proud to be part of that mission."

Besides championing for girls’ education and microcredit for small businesses, the Grand Duchess is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNESCO and a Patron of the Luxembourg Committee for UNICEF.