Queen Rania speaks with Effat students

In her elegant, humble, and confident attitude she exchanged words of wisdom and inspiration with the students who were eager to hear her.

The students briefed Queen Rania about their studies and various activities where upon she encouraged them to pursue their dreams, commented positively on having an engineering and architecture departments for girls at Effat College for the first time in Saudi Arabia, and expressed support for the students' participation in extra-curricular activities.

They asked Queen Rania to share her opinion and expertise on issues of concern to them. Maram Al-Nafie, a senior in Information Systems and a Queen Effat Citizenship Award recipient as well as Chair of Student Shura, asked Queen Rania on the key to success.

Queen Rania said that there is no one strategy, "find your own strengths and apply them in your own way, and have a purpose in life and go for it".

"It is such an achievement to be the first female Saudi architects to be graduated from Effat College" said Queen Rania when was introduced to Al-Johara Al-Saud and Maysan Mamoun, senior students in Architecture. Mamoun, Basketball Championship winner, asked Queen Rania based on her experience and perspective on how to get motivated and involved in international organizations.

"First thing, do your research," said Queen Rania. She said that this generation is lucky because they have the information at their finger tips, "do the research on the programs by these organizations and actively pursue getting involved".

Wed Abu Znadah and Basma Al-Harbi, senior students in Computer Science and winners of post-graduate scholarship from King Abdullah University for Science and Technology, expressed their immense pleasure to meet the Queen, whom they considered a role model for highly effective women leaders.

Fatima Al-Banawi and Orjwan Al-Omari talked to Queen Rania about their extra-curricular activities.

Al-Omari, a Business Administration student, is the president of the debate club at Effat College, which aims to develop the critical intellect and effective communication skills of the students and in making them more tolerant of others' opinions.

Al-Banawi, who is a psychology student and president of the Student Government said that the goal is to have a well-developed student government body and to present the uniqueness of the students through different activities such as establishing a 'student of the month award' and organizing an annual conference for Saudi college students "to know each other better as youth and build our knowledge" in addition to activating Effat College's twelve clubs.

Al-Banawi asked Queen Rania, in light of globalization, how could they transfer their Arab and Islamic identity to the next generation? "Have confidence in your own identity, and with that you will have the security and openness to the rest of the world," said Queen Rania.

She urged them not only to hold on to the positive qualities that distinguish Arabs and Muslims but also to have the skills that allow them to compete at the international level. "The successful combination of the two would make you a global citizen".

Lama Younis, an Effat graduate in psychology and a Ph.D. candidate in forensic psychology, asked Queen Rania about learning from Jordan's experience in opening a foster care center for abused children, which Queen Rania inaugurated recently.

"The first thing was to bring the issue out in the open," said Queen Rania. As a cultural taboo, it was important to raise awareness that this problem exists in every society and that "we are not doing justice to vulnerable children by keeping silent. It is everybody's responsibility to prevent it," said Queen Rania.

After the society was comfortable talking about the issue, it was possible to establish the center in collaboration with different partners including the police, health centers, judges and lawyers.

"So it's a partnership and a work in progress, and we look forward to passing our experience and working with other Arab countries," said Queen Rania.

Within the same context, Dalia Magari, an Early Childhood Studies student, talked to the Queen about her project on children sexual abuse that is co-prepared with student Ebaa Taiba to raise awareness on how to protect children from sexual abuse.