Queen Noor defines goals for global security

Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan spoke last night of the necessity to firmly establish a global security that transcends race, ethnicity, gender and wealth.

Not the type of security that calls for removing shoes at airport metal detectors -- but instead, of the nature that Noor said will "provide the stability and opportunity for all world citizens to participate actively, fully in social, civil and political" aspects of their communities.

Crowned the Queen of Jordan in 1978 after marrying the late King Hussein, Noor established herself as a prominent humanitarian activist in a troubled region of the world.

From her personal experiences, Noor said that she has found that "violence doesn't work. Terror creates terror, but it does not achieve any other goals. Hatred only becomes more entrenched and even death becomes routine."

However, she stressed throughout her speech that "while violence does not work, working together does." And she continued to praise the United Nations as "one of the most powerful engines for cooperation ever created by humankind."

Noor has aided U.N. causes for over 25 years and said that she invests her confidence in what the 191 member nations will achieve while working towards their eight "Millennium Goals."

They aim to abolish poverty and hunger plaguing underdeveloped and warring countries by closing the gaping distances between economic classes.

"Wealth breeds indifference, while poverty breeds desperation," Noor said. She suggested that if nations invested capital in education rather than weapons, poverty could be alleviated.

The next ambitious goal is to make primary education available to every child by 2015. "Education is an extremely powerful tool," Noor said. "More powerful in the long term than weapons."

Gender equality is the next major Millennium Goal, because according to Noor, "any viable development strategy must include women.... Women are central to any definition of human security."

Through education and increased economic possibilities, women across the globe will be able to develop in the context of their community, helping their families and neighbors achieve social and economic stability.

The other goals include reducing both child and maternal death rates and paying keen attention to the environment and global access to natural resources.

Also, "human security is impossible when people are fighting for their lives," Noor said, explaining that the United Nations hopes to combat diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria and prevent those diseases that can be avoided by vaccinations.

The eighth goal that will string the others together, according to Noor, is working to weave a global partnership for development. By forming personal coalitions, every nation can help to embrace and learn from each other.

Overall, students were awed by Noor's lecture and said that they appreciated her rich experiences as an Arab-American woman.

"She did a really good job in articulating a lot of points about the role of women in the Middle East and the role of the U.N. in resolving the conflict there," College sophomore Erin Micheletti said.

Conveniently, the lecture fell during Penn's Islam Awareness Week, which Muslim StudentsAssociation President and Wharton and College junior Muhammed Mekki said will further help students understand "Islam in its true form."

"It was nice to hear from a moderate Arab leader, to see the common ground between the Palestinian and Israeli causes," Wharton sophomore Carl Zhao said.

Noor quoted her late husband, saying that "ultimately, peace resides not in the hands of the government, but in the hands of its people." By developing connections, dialogue is opened and the voice of the people is formed.

"I do believe [peace] is possible," Noor said, "and I do believe it is going to depend on our finding that voice."

Noor was invited to lecture at Irvine Auditorium as the fall speaker for the Social Planning and Events Committee's Connaissance branch and as part of the Provost's Lecture Series.

"Our goal is to enlighten the undergraduate community," Connaissance Co-Chairman Raymond Win said. "I believe that [Noor's] speech was a perfect example of that."

"It was an absolute success," the Wharton sophomore added, referring to the sold-out crowd and Noor's well-articulated sentiments on the future of the global community.

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