Queen Rania Celebrates Her Birthday, Marking Another Year Spent in the Service of Jordan

Wednesday 30 August 2017
Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania at this year’s celebration of the 71st Anniversary of Jordan’s Independence Day Amman, Jordan \ May 25, 2017
Amman - MENA Herald:

Thursday the 31st of August marks the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, capping off another year of tireless dedication to enhancing Jordan’s social development and international standing.

Queen Rania derives her resolve from her husband, His Majesty King Abdullah II, contributing day in and day out to national and international efforts that prioritize education reform, community empowerment, fighting extremism, and supporting destitute refugees.

Over the course of the past year, Her Majesty has continued working toward the advancement of Jordan’s social progress at all levels, building on her various partnerships with local and international institutions to further her enduring vision for the empowerment of youth, innovators, and the vulnerable.

Education reform remains one of the focal points of her many initiatives. Queen Rania’s efforts in this field highlight the role education plays in strengthening societies and perpetuating the cycle of sustainable development.

Her Majesty stays abreast of Jordan’s evolving educational landscape through regular field visits to schools across the country, gleaning insights from expert research and the testimony of students, teachers, and parents.

One educational milestone that Her Majesty is particularly proud of this year is the launch of the Teacher Education Professional Diploma (TEPD) for the preparation of Jordanian educators prior to starting their teaching jobs.

The diploma offers training that not only recognizes merit and passion in teachers, but also gives novices the opportunity to practice and refine their teaching skills before venturing into the field.

Run by the Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA), and enacted in partnership with the Ministry of Education and University of Jordan, with technical support from the University College London (UCL) Institute of Education (IOE), the program is due to graduate its first batch of teachers next month.

The Queen Rania Foundation for Education and Development (QRF), one of Her Majesty’s most dynamic educational initiatives to date, also stands as a testament to her mission of providing quality education to all students in Jordan and the region.  

Internationally, Her Majesty does not spare any effort in enhancing education in Jordan and the region. These efforts have culminated with QRF garnering the interest of global establishments invested in education, including Google.org.

In May, Mr. Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google.org’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., announced a $3 million grant to the Foundation for the creation of a K-12 Arab online learning platform.

Between a packed agenda of local outreach programs and a number of vital global initiatives, the Queen’s voice as a champion for tolerance and global citizenship has been heard beyond Jordan’s borders.

In international gatherings, Her Majesty has taken to global podiums to advocate on behalf of Arab women and children, showcasing their successes and ambitions to the entire world, while also highlighting the challenges they face in light of the region’s crises.

In due recognition of her efforts in exposing the plight of refugees, combating false perceptions of Arab and Muslim women, and calling for a unified front against global extremism, Her Majesty has been granted various awards over the past year.  

Among the most prominent accolades and honors received by Her Majesty this year are the Global Heart Award from the Heart for Children charity organization, the Vital Voices’ Global Trailblazer Award, the Foreign Press Association’s first-ever Humanitarian Award, and the Andrea Bocelli Humanitarian Award.

Additionally, through her position on their boards, Her Majesty continues to contribute to the work of the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Additionally, she is a UNICEF Eminent Advocate for Children as well as a member of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) board of directors.

With a substantial following on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, Her Majesty has often capitalized on social media outlets to engage in issues of great importance to her and her followers, involving them in her activities and initiatives as a mother, a working woman, and a person of vision.

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