Queen Rania & King Abdullah: Interviews, Speeches

[Toledo]

Her 2001 interview was much better than the 2006, it was more serious and related to the political events in the World. The 2006 interview was more light and family oriented.

[Humera]

A Word From Queen Rania

World Teachers’ Day 2006

In more than 100 countries around the world, October 5 is recognized as a day to honor and celebrate teachers. Here in Jordan, we marked the occasion by awarding our first ever annual award for excellence in teaching.

This year’s winners – chosen from more than 1,100 nominees – are: Naeem Ali Al-Abeesi Al Bawayzeh for KG – 3rd grade; Maha Harbee Abdulaziz Al-Shaksheer for 4th -8th grade; Hiyam Khader Yusim Abu Areedah for 9th and 10th grade; Khawlah Abdulmihdee Ali Al-Ma'ayah for the Academic tawjihi; and Hannah Mikhael Abdullah Al-Saeed Maqtash for the Vocational tawjihi. To all of them, and the many worthy runners-up, warm congratulations and heartfelt thanks for all that you are doing to inspire our children, and enhance their education.

Many of us can recall a special teacher in our lives – that person who nourished creativity in the classroom, and who fostered a lasting love for learning, far beyond the classroom walls.

more of the Queen's statement

[Humera]

A WORD FROM QUEEN RANIA

It has been a year since the Amman bombings that claimed 60 of our fellow citizens’ lives. Words are too flimsy to capture our sorrow; too shallow to contain our sense of loss. And yet, we yearn to express our grief, our unity, and our resilience. As the rubble fell, our people rose, and together we move forward.

To the loved ones of the victims, we offer our support, our prayers, and our deepest sympathy. We cannot repair the holes in your hearts, but we have made a lasting place for you in our own.

And to one another, let us use this occasion to remind ourselves we are all Jordan – each responsible for our actions as individuals and for the progress of our nation as a whole. We may have felt helpless the day of the bombing – yet, through our tears, we found an awesome power: power in solidarity, power in compassion, power not only in condemning what is wrong but in having the courage to champion what is right.

In the years to come, we will not forget the horror of the November 9 attacks, but neither will we relinquish our faith in humanity’s capacity for good. Let us each do our part, as Mahatma Gandhi once said, to be the change we want to see in the world.

Copyright: Royal Hashemite Court - www.queenrania.jo

[Humera]

Washington Life - June 2006

QUEEN RANIA: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

At 35, Her Majesty has a world of experience behind her ... and a world of expectations ahead

She's a queen who admits to zoning out in front of the TV while watching her favorite shows, Desperate Housewives and 24. On the weekends, she and her husband cook on the barbeque grill in their palace garden and watch movies. "Being Queen is not who I am, but what I do," she recently told Oprah Winfrey. Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan is showing the world a new face of Arab women and it's perhaps the most beautiful face in the world. After meeting Jordan's royal couple, King Abdullah bin Al-Hussein and Queen Rania, at a private lunch hosted at their palace in Amman in honor of Catherine and Wayne Reynolds, I began an email exchange with the Queen for Washington Life magazine.

During our exchanges, she was in the midst of a fourday working trip to three U.S. cities to promote cross-cultural understanding between U.S. and Arab youth and children. One of those stops was here in Washington, where she was the honored guest alongside First Lady Laura Bush at the Mosaic Foundation 9th Annual Benefit Dinner to raise money for a new Arab-language Sesame Street program.

Rest of the interview and pictures here

[reeda2000]

Jordan King: 3 Mideast Civil Wars Possible in 2007 (vidio)
abc news
http://www.abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/s...2679914&page=1

[Redferns]

'I want to make a difference to the world'

Queen Rania of Jordan on falling in love with India, handling the responsibilities of a Queen and being a style icon.

The world is fascinated by her. And so are we. She's a very modern Queen. That's how she came across to everyone on her recent New Delhi visit. The world's youngest queen, Rania of Jordon moves with a certain grace. In fact, after Princess Diana, she's touted as the most fashionable royal. In an exclusive interview, Queen Rania tells Delhi Times why she's fallen in love with India, how she plays the role of Queen and on being listed amongst the most powerful women in the world by Forbes magazine

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/a...how/688847.cms

[asturiana]

A WORD FROM QUEEN RANIA

On the occassion of International Women's Day, below are excerpts of Her Majesty Queen Rania's remarks at the opening ceremony of the Second Annual Meeting of the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society, in Deauville, France: Link

[asturiana]

Calling on the Queen

(Article and interview from verveonline.com)

[Humera]

Originally Posted by asturiana

Calling on the Queen

(Article and interview from verveonline.com)

That is a good interview. I especially like the second half (the first half is mostly about her visit to India a couple of months ago) where Queen Rania talks about her personal life, her fitness routine, how she chooses her clothes etc. I always like more intimate interviews that reveal new details about a person.
Thanks for the link asturiana.

[reeda2000]

Originally Posted by asturiana

Calling on the Queen

(Article and interview from verveonline.com)

Great interview ....thank you asturiana

[Little_star]

Thank you for the interview, it's very interesting and gives lot more insight into how she works.

[reeda2000]

HM King Abdullah II .. The 19 Arab Summit in Riyad
MaximsNews Network

[jroneida]

There is a short one page profile in the June 2007 issue of Glamour (US edition) on Queen Rania. I think the title was Glamour's Hero of the Month. I'm not sure if there is an online link to it or not

[Little_star]

10 Questions with Queen Rania
LINK

[Humera]

Originally Posted by Little_star

10 Questions with Queen Rania
LINK

I like this idea, to have her answer questions sent in from people all over the world.
Here's part 2 of the article:
More Questions with Queen Rania

[asturiana]

The Queen’s Mission

Sayidaty, the women’s weekly magazine and a sister publication to Arab News, sat down with the royal highness in her offices in Amman recently for a personal chat about the current and future state of Arab women.

Interview from arab news website

[Little_star]

Queen Rania speaking on Islam:

Let me start with the traditional greeting of Islam: peace be upon you.

I welcome the opportunity to engage in this conversation, and I am glad to think global readers are interested in Islam, a religion shared and cherished by millions of men and women around the world. I hope that this exercise challenges perceptions that Muslims are somehow different…strange…a breed apart. The other.

All faith, after all, is based on an intensely personal, private relationship with God. And I believe that if we are to build true understanding among and within our societies, we must approach each other as fellow human beings, not representatives of one religion or another.

Perhaps that is why I have never been preoccupied with defining “the true meaning” of Islam. To me, Islam is an amalgam of virtues that guides my interactions with the world. I know deep down, as I have read and been taught by the Holy Qur’an, the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH), that it is good to give, to empathize, to be patient, to be compassionate. These virtues do not have ineffable meaning, but offer a sense of morality – a way to be, and a way to behave, as a member of the human family.

Looking back, I learned how to be a Muslim at an early age – not as something separate from daily life, but as something intrinsic to it. I think of my parents’ warmth and love; how they helped me, my brother and sister learn to share; and how they taught us to value honesty, humility, charity, and forgiveness. Now a mother myself, I know in my heart that meaning is being made when my children raise their arms for a hug; when we give of ourselves to those less fortunate; when we are reminded, during Ramadan, of the hunger and thirst of those in need.

I cherish these experiences not only because they make me a better Muslim, but because they make me a better person – more grateful, more connected, more aware. And yes, I offer my thanks to God on a prayer mat facing Mecca. But I hope that readers seeking to understand “the true meaning of Islam” will not only focus on how Muslims worship but also on who we are: mothers, fathers, spouses, students, neighbors, friends. People who smile with pride at their child’s first step; laugh with friends over the old times; worry about exam results; cry at the sight of our children in pain. People just like you.
My Queerific World: The True Meaning of Islam - by Queen Rania

[Humera]

Queen Rania's interview with Dagens Nyheter Söndag, conducted during her visit to Sweden for the Tallberg Forum.

Its in a question/answer format, I'm posting the last two because they're not the typical questions Rania gets asked:

What were your plans for the future before you met your husband?

I think I was probably like many other fresh graduates in their early 20s…relieved that exams and study were over; excited about a new phase of life; a little bit daunted by my new responsibilities (I had a job in the banking sector); happy to be meeting new people and making new friends…and not really very sure about where life was going to take me--but content to roll with it. I didn’t have a grand plan!

Soon the Swedish Crown Princess will marry her boyfriend Daniel, a person without any royal background, just like you. What are your personal pieces of advice to him?

Being in the public eye certainly takes some readjustment! I grew up in a very ordinary, private family…doing pretty regular things….cinema…gym…restaurants… and I liked that anonymity and privacy, and I sometimes miss that. Of course, I still manage to do those things, but it’s never quite as straightforward or spontaneous! I also had to learn a lot of new, quite daunting skills like public speaking, for example. My greatest teacher was my husband whose advice, support and encouragement was, and still is, invaluable. At the end of the day, it’s about partnership and teamwork.

It’s also important to realize the many pluses to being in the public eye. It’s an incredible opportunity to spotlight everyday heroes and worthy causes that need publicity and fundraising…and to empower those who can activate change in their communities.

You can read the entire interview here

[Humera]

Don't Sniff at Money
Queen Rania pushes Arabs to train entrepreneurs.

Jordan's Queen Rania Al Abdullah emphasizes the need to teach Arab kids how to start their own businesses and create jobs. She's crisscrossed the region to drum up support for Injaz al-Arab, a fast-growing NGO that has helped 270,000 students learn business skills and set up their own mini-companies. Her Majesty answered Stefan Theil's written questions from the royal family's undisclosed vacation retreat.

Read the excerpts here

[Little_star]

Queen Rania's speech at the WEF in Dalian