|
|
|
|||||||
| Portal | Royal Articles | Royal Calendar | Register | FAQ | Members List | Royal Links | Search | Today's Posts | Mark Forums Read |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||
 |
 |
|
|||
 |
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread | Display Modes |
|
#21
02-20-2005, 02:55 AM
|
||||
|
||||
Firstly thanks very much Mary Shawn for adding the 2 articles to this section. Queen Rania strikes me as a very practical and down-to-earth person in them. She's a Virgo, so that makes a lot of sense. She twice mentions something to the extent that her life is not a fairytale:
"The royal fantasy is for people on the outside," she says. What do you make of that? Do we see the fairytale more and would we be shocked by the reality? Quote:
|
|
#22
02-20-2005, 03:03 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
|
|
#23
02-20-2005, 01:23 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
New Home
You are all likely right on re: posting new photos of home.....I guess what prompted question was in a few issues of "Hello" and I'll dig them up, there were a number of lovely photos of their old home's interior along with interesting articles. In one of them, for instance, I learned, for first time, the family had been targeted by al Quaeda and barely escaped death when a speedboat loaded with explosives.....was, thankfully, caught and disaster was prevented, while KA, a pregnant QR and their children were cruising on board a yacht! Till then, I had had no idea.....How disgusting to go after the family......IMO. But I don't wish to get off topic. The photos I just loved as it showed an airy, pleasant home.....nicely decorated but clearly--as articles have made mention--geared to being "child friendly!" I'll try and post today. Mary Shawn
|
|
#24
02-20-2005, 01:33 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Royal Fantasy comment is intriguing, isn't it?
I read it as QR was trying to say she and KA work very, very hard--12-14 hour days are the norm, not the exception. So, despite pretty photos of lovely occasions, it's kind of like the late Diana saying "80% is sheer slog; 20% is fantastic" and QN saying "you wouldn't wish this job on your worst enemy unless you felt they were the right person to handle it." That was, I felt, her kudos to KA/QR as she went onto say they were the right choice--the only choice in her opinion--to handle it. But that was her opinion. Hassan seemed equally well-equipped. I have a gorgeous photo of he and his family but is 2 pages and won't fit onto scanner properly.....still, will try to post. When I read about the precarious helicopter ride, I know I would've been sick to my stomach and likely called it off or postponed. And then taking red-eye flights while still not missing a beat in her hectic schedule.....well, that doesn't seem like a fantasy....I think she is quite aware of the image Queens and royals are shown wearing gorgeous clothing but the reality is a lot of time and energy goes to fulfilling commitments, preparing for appearances and substantive speeches like the ones Balqis posted....She seems to be trying to approach it all in a practical manner while subtly addressing it is all far more than elegant attire. This is sooooo poorly phrased; does it make any sense?
Quote:
|
|
#25
02-20-2005, 06:50 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
Last edited by Balqis; 02-20-2005 at 06:54 PM.
|
|
#26
02-20-2005, 06:53 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Excellent Speech!
“Human Dignity and Humanitarian Space”
Remarks by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, Launch of Women and War Exhibit, 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Geneva, 4 December 2003 I’m deeply honored to be a part of the 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. In wars and famines, outbreaks and earthquakes, the Red Cross and Red Crescent are always there… putting lives on the line for others, replacing horror with hope. It is noble work. It is dangerous work. And now, more than ever, it is necessary work, in a world crying out for compassion. Nearly half a century ago, the photographer Edward Steichen composed an exhibition called “The Family of Man.” Its 503 photos from 68 countries captured the sweetness and struggles of life… reminding a world still scarred by war that we are sisters and brothers at heart. We all feel passion. We all feel pain. We all strive and hope and dream. As Steichen said, “Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face… the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited… and the wealth and confusion man has created. [Photography] is a major force in explaining man to man.” The photographs you will see today will evoke more questions than explanations. Why, in an age of progress, do we see so much brutality? Why, in a world of plenty, do so many people still suffer such deprivation? And how are we to comprehend the strength of the human spirit? For in the faces of the women in these photos, and the words alongside their images, we witness their struggles, their sorrow, but also their will to carry on. From female amputees in Angola, awaiting medical care, to Bosnian women, praying at a memorial for missing relatives, they seem to be saying, “We will not give up…so don’t give up on us.” These women have found loyal champions in the Red Cross and Red Crescent, who understand that women’s well-being is more than just a marginal concern. An unsettled woman means shrinking levels of health and education for her family. And troubled families mean a troubled future for social and economic development. But by the same token, if we can uphold the safety and rights of women – if we can protect their human dignity, even in times of upheaval – we can lift the horizons for humanity as a whole. The goal of protecting human dignity is what brought us here to Geneva today. Every day, in every country, we witness violations of this right. Those who perpetrate such abuses are never at a loss for “why.” Security, order, even workplace efficiency are offered as explanations. But a company’s rise in profit margin does not justify lesser treatment of its workers. A government’s obligation to preserve security does not override people’s right to self-respect. Men, women and children should never have to trade in their dignity for survival – to abandon their homes… suffer persecution … or endure any kind of abuse. Let’s make no mistake about it: The right to human dignity is non-negotiable. International law is a powerful tool to confront and address these problems. But we don’t have to be legal scholars to understand what feels right. The world’s great faiths and philosophies all draw strength from the same core belief: Dignity is intrinsic to humankind. It’s a universal birthright. Human dignity matters deeply to us as individuals who seek self-improvement. It matters to us as parents who want the very best for the children we love. And it has to matter to us as citizens of a globalizing world. In an age when borders no longer define the limits of culture and commerce, neither can they contain the enormous costs of human suffering. Today, we find our global moral conscience lagging behind our global markets. The sophisticated international networks that have been employed to facilitate and enhance our everyday lives should also serve as the delivery system of a universal code of human values and ethics. Human dignity should never be viewed as an expensive commodity, one that is least attainable in our hierarchy of needs. None of us can truly get ahead if most of us are left behind. Closing this “moral lag” will require a common conviction that access to human dignity and respect is just as important as access to medicine, education and technology. And access to all is what the Red Cross and Red Crescent are about. Your efforts are guided by the fundamental impulse of human empathy. Neutrality and impartiality are the currency of your realm. You are defenders of human dignity, wherever it’s at risk. But you cannot protect others if you are vulnerable yourselves. And in recent years, we’ve seen an alarming erosion of humanitarian space. Encroachments on your neutrality have made it harder to do your jobs. Violence against aid workers, such as the bombing of the Red Cross offices in Baghdad, has shocked and saddened the civilized world. If we do not address these problems, we will pay the price. We have to safeguard humanitarian space – in both physical and moral terms. And more than that, we have to make room for humanitarian space in our hearts – and awaken the part of ourselves that aches at the sight of another in pain. We cannot afford to ration compassion… reject the unfamiliar… or save our sympathy only for people who look or sound like us. I believe this exhibit is an excellent place to begin. For here, we will gaze not at strangers but at mothers and sisters and daughters we know. Perhaps it’s the way she smiles, or frowns. Perhaps it’s her quiet resilience. Perhaps it’s the way she holds her baby tenderly to her chest. It’s been said “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” Let us offer the women in these photos our promise: We see you. And we care. Thank you very much
|
|
#28
02-20-2005, 07:45 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Another excellent post, Balqis! Enjoyed QR's speech very much.....
OK, I was not initially enamored by Rania because of whole succession thing and I got drawn into rumors about it but even my favorite, QN, said you have to dress a certain way to draw interest to your country--even if she, for instance, went into her marriage with blue jeans, 2 skirts and a plain dress. She quickly had it made clear to her by palace officials and other JRF this would not suffice...so she turned to designers used by her mother in law and predecessor, Alia. It irritated her that the focus was often on her appearance rather than the substance of her speeches though. Diana, during her marriage, found herself in same position--wearing haute couture--although, in her case, she was pressured to wear UK designer clothes to draw attention to them and promote that side of the British economy. So it's kind of a lose-lose situation if one wants to be royal yet would prefer simplicity over style. There is a ME designer QR uses (name escapes me) and I just read an article emphasizing jordanian designers are on the rise....hopefully, we will see QR wearing more of their work but she could get criticized for that as the dresses are drop-dead gorgeous but elaborate in their beading and design. Then--probably because of her fashions--I started seeing more articles on QR and Jordan. And I read them and became more interested. Now, does that hurt the country or her causes? I don't think so. If her appearance opens doors or causes writers to feature her, it enhances peoples' interest in Jordan. It really struck a chord with me when one of QN's friends said (Vanity Fair, 1999) by being queen "she gave up the right to even have a bad hair day." I would hate it if everytime I left my home, everything I wore, did or said was examined. I'm not saying QR doesn't like fashion ("I understand the value of retail therapy" ("O" magazine)). But to go out looking "normal" like the rest of us would be perceived as disrespectful in some circles. She married a prince who was never destined, it seemed, to be King. So it's not like she planned all of this and I just am trying to give her the benefit of the doubt as she learns an entirely unexpected role. Her speeches are interesting and substantive; she does not cancel appointments or commitments; she shows respect on state visits to all she meets;.....I don't honestly know what more the lady can do. I commented in one post QN was reinventing herself now and was reminded so was KA, Hassan and others. I think it's safe to say QR is in that category. It bothers me when people say they want to know about her work, then when directed to information, respond "don't go there." Either you have an interest or you don't. If you like another royal better, wouldn't it be more productive to focus on letting us all know of their good works?
|
|
#31
02-21-2005, 07:44 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
|
|
#32
02-21-2005, 07:47 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Psychology Today article & interview
Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan does not allow an assistant to answer her door. She opens it herself and, looking stunning in a stylish leather skirt and stilettos, greets her guests with a friendly smile. Amazed by her casual manner, I follow her into the sitting room of her hotel suite in New York City. She is here to attend, among several other noteworthy functions, the World Economic Forum, and we chat until she delivers a second shock.
"Has anyone ever told you that you look like Gwyneth Paltrow?" I'm completely taken aback. But this reaction is exactly wrong. That's not because I look anything like the actress. Hardly. Instead, it's because I suddenly realize that the queen of Jordan might know more about U.S. culture and that of most countries than do I and many other Americans. Rania's Reign The world's youngest—and arguably most beautiful—queen at only 31 years old, Queen Rania is garnering increasing international acclaim for her modern approach to presiding over a traditional Arab nation. Most apparent upon first glance, she does not wear the veil that many might expect to see covering the face of a Muslim woman; she is quick to point out that this does not diminish the strength of her faith in Islam. "Many women in Jordan dress the way I do," she explains. "We, as a country, give women the right to choose whether they want to wear the veil or not. From the Western perspective, I think a lot of people believe the veil symbolizes backwardness. In reality, that's not the case." This contemporary mind-set, which extends far beyond the absence of her veil, may stem from her more common upbringing. Formerly Rania Al-Yasin, she was born in Kuwait to a Jordanian family of Palestinian origin who certainly did not anticipate her royal future. In fact, she had already earned her bachelor's degree in business administration at the American University in Cairo and, fluent in Arabic and English, had begun a career at Citibank when she was introduced to Abdullah Bin Al-Hussein, the son of Jordan's King Hussein, at a party. Less than six months later, in June of 1993, the two married. But because Prince Abdullah was not crown prince, neither he nor his new wife anticipated inheriting the throne. "I was lucky, because when I came into the family, I had the opportunity to get used to a new way of life," Queen Rania now says. "My husband was just a prince, and I was just a princess, so I could control, to some extent, the separation of my public duties from my private life." A year after their wedding the couple had a son, whom they named Hussein, after his grandfather, and two years later Princess Iman was born. Then, in 1999, Jordan suffered a tragedy that significantly changed the young family's way of life. King Hussein, adored by Jordanians for his commitment to establishing peace in the Middle East, was dying of cancer. For 33 years, his younger brother Prince Hassan bin Tallal had been the crown prince. But just days before his death, King Hussein changed the dynastic succession by naming Abdullah, then only 37, his heir. After his death, Abdullah and Rania, now king and queen, were left to grapple with their grief and the unexpected and daunting task of ruling a country. For her part, and despite a lack of "job training," the new queen continued tackling the national concerns she had focused on during her first six years of marriage. In 1998, for instance, she had launched the Child Abuse Prevention Project. Prior to this, child abuse was underreported in Jordan and discussing it was taboo. This endeavor led her to open Dar Al Aman, or Home of Safety, in 2000. The first abused-children's home in the Arab world, Dar Al Aman offers specialized psychological and physical rehabilitation. The Children Last year, the queen's love for children caught the attention of Jacques-François Martin, president of The Vaccine Fund, who asked her to join the organization's international board of directors. Founded in 2000 with the help of a $750 million donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Fund works to stop the three million deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases that occur each year among poor infants. Naturally, the queen accepted Martin's offer, and the night after first meeting her I attend a Vaccine Fund benefit dinner at New York's Four Seasons Hotel. The queen, Martin, Bill Gates and several other well-to-dos preside over the glittery event. As I have come to expect, the queen looks savvy and sophisticated, and her spike heels prompt one guest to lean in for comment. "How does she wear those?" she whispers, shaking her head in awe. Martin speaks admiringly of Queen Rania as he delivers a few words of thanks to the dinner crowd and again later, when asked to describe her work with children. "I believe that her commitment to children is a very real and tangible part of her daily life," he says. "On the occasions I have been with her, she has always mentioned how, as a mother, she finds it heartbreaking that so many children die each year of vaccine-preventable diseases. It is obviously something she believes in deeply." Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, there in brief attendance, stops to embrace Queen Rania before departing. The two first ladies, who appear genuinely pleased to see each other, have worked together with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on securing loans for small businesses. "The queen is a former banker, so she understands the criteria you need to be a successful borrower," says USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios, who discussed microfinancing with her majesty at a recent conference in Washington, D.C. "But she clearly also understands the problems of the poor. The only way you get out of poverty is to create jobs, businesses and enterprise; and microfinance does that. She's been an articulate worldwide spokeswoman." This initiative has assisted the Jordan River Foundation (JRF), a nonprofit organization the queen founded in 1995, in significantly improving the quality of life for Jordanian women. "The challenges that women face in the Arab Muslim world are similar to challenges that women face in developing worlds," Queen Rania explains. By presenting loans to Jordan's small-business entrepreneurs, JRF is empowering women to become skilled contributors to society and income providers to their families. "Women are beginning to educate themselves on their rights. Once they know what their rights are, they can be more proactive in demanding that these rights are met," she says. Her Causes Truly, the list of organizations that Queen Rania supports is endless. And while some might suggest that her royal role is a symbolic one when compared with her husband's executive role, others would argue that her dedication to humanitarian causes make the two equally important to their nation of five million. Her inherent knack for connecting with commoners has enticed the media to draw parallels between her majesty and Princess Diana, a compliment Queen Rania hesitates to accept. "It's an honor, because she was very special," she admits when prodded. "However, when you're in a public role, people tend to compare you with someone else." All flattery aside, Queen Rania believes that her most important role is that of a mother to her three children, the youngest of whom, Princess Salma, is less than one year old. Given the current political climate surrounding Arab nations, however, the queen and her husband are being asked more and more to play a peacekeeping role, which may make balancing the family's work and private life. "If you're conscious of it and make sure that you have time on your own, you can pull it off," she says. "I think from the outside, people don't expect mine to be a normal life. But when you get to know it, it actually is." May/June 2003
|
|
#33
02-21-2005, 11:31 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Well, if you are working 12 hour days and meet constantly (been there, done that), I suppose we can understand if one looks actually now that I study actual photo in entirety, a bit tired but trying to maintain focus on those speaking to her.....That's my thought now that I look more closely!
Quote:
|
