Abdullah & Rania on tour

King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan today kicked off an extensive tour of South America that will take them to Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras and Cuba. Joined by a delegation of Jordanian businessmen and government officials, the King and Queen are on the tour to improve relations between the countries as well as increase trade and economic partnerships. King Abdullah, who is one of the world’s last ruling monarchs, will also meet with the highest political leaders during their tour to discuss the situation and security in the Middle East and especially the Israel-Palestine conflict which is an issue very warm to both the King and Queen’s hearts.

The popular and modern Royal Couple started the tour already this past Saturday in Spain where they were welcomed by King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family for a day full of political meetings between the King and Spanish leaders and Queen Rania’s visit to Arab House (Casa Arabe) and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía before a dinner was held in the evening. Today they landed in Chile were President Michelle Bachelet received them for the official welcoming ceremonies before the King’s political agenda continued while Queen Rania devoted time to social causes.

On Sunday CNN’s program “Fareed Zakaria GPS” aired an interview with Queen Rania recorded during her recent visit to New York. During the program Her Majesty, one of few royals who are able to freely talk about political matters without causing controversies or being accused of partisanship, continued to advocate the need to challenge misunderstandings, ignorance and stereotypes held between the western and Muslim world. Rania also spoke about changing the interpretations and traditional attitudes that is a hindrance to women in her part of the world, and promoting the moderate voices after the lack of leadership and failiures of the international community has led to dire social hardship for the people and great support for Hamas in Palestine.

Zakaria also asked, in respect to mother-of-five Sara Palin running for Vice President in the USA, what advice Queen Rania would have for a working mother to make it all happen. The Queen very eloquently replied:

Never manage to make it all happen, and never expect to make it all happen. I think, you know, the first thing that you need to do is to be kinder to yourself.

Many women think that they have to achieve that perfect balance between family and work and everything else. And that balance just does not exist. There are some days when you feel it’s all — you’ve got everything under control, and other days where it’s just all chaotic.

It’s about, you know, reorganizing your priorities every day, about being flexible, about accepting help and asking people to assist you. And it’s about having a bit of a sense of humor, and just being kind to yourself.

More from Spain: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Video here.
From Chile: here, here, here, here, here, here, here and a video here (click on video).
The Zakaria interview: part 1, part 2, transcript here.

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