November 2003 – Queen Noor of Jordan said during a visit to Trinity University that she feels privileged to be able to walk comfortably in both the Western and Arab worlds and would like to be considered a bridge between the two cultures. She launched the 2003-04 Distinguished Lecture Series at Trinity on Nov. 5 in a formal speech and an informal meeting with students. 

Born in the United States to an Arab-American family, Queen Noor in 1978 married King Hussein, who was considered a moderate voice in the Middle East until he died in 1999. Following his lead, she is waging a campaign for peace, justice, and women’s rights throughout the region. Education, particularly the education of women, she contended, is more powerful in the long-term than weapons. “One thing is clear: violence doesn’t work,” she told a Laurie Auditorium audience of about 2,000 people.

The queen, who recently published a book titled Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life about her 21-year marriage to King Hussein, is an advocate for peace and stability in the Middle East. She called for countries in the region to focus on tolerance and respect in order to engage in “genuine cooperation.” Proceeds from the sale of her book will benefit the King Hussein Foundation, which she founded in honor of her late husband to promote the concept of peace building and to give life to King Hussein’s legacy of humanitarian leadership. 

Justice must precede peace, she said, noting that she has worked in partnerships with various United Nations groups for a quarter of a century to reduce poverty, increase educational opportunities, and promote a sustainable environment in Third World countries. Half of all Arab women are illiterate and consequently suffer from social, legal, and economic discrimination, she said. “If peace is truly to take place in the Middle East, women must play a role,” she added. 

In addition, she called for U.S. universities to return to a practice of offering more scholarships for Arabs and Muslims as a way of promoting educational advancement. Queen Noor said a “peace-centered education” could teach people to look at issues from other’s points of view. “We should work to promote peace with the same vigor as some generations have pursued war.”

Jordan, because of its geography, has played a unique role in bringing opposing groups together to promote dialogue and initiatives that can strengthen and empower all sides, she said. Progress seemed more likely in the mid-1990s, she said, noting that a sense of hopelessness “has infected many” in the region today and that her concern about the situation in Iraq focuses on humanitarian issues.

Ruba Ayyat, a sophomore at Trinity who is majoring in business administration with a concentration in accounting, is a Jordanian citizen who was among 100 students who met briefly with Queen Noor while she was on campus. Ms. Ayyat said she was “ecstatic” to have gotten the chance to visit with the queen, whom she considers a role model. “I look up to Queen Noor because she has proven to be a very strong Arabic woman who held onto her heritage and used it as a guide to what she wanted to become,” Ms. Ayyat said.