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AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Thursday received an honorary doctorate in “Science Development and International Cooperation” from Sapienza University in Rome.
The Queen received the degree, during an official visit with His Majesty King Abdullah to Rome, in recognition of her activities in promoting peace and cross-cultural dialogue, and her efforts against discrimination based on gender or religion, according to a statement from her office.
At the award ceremony — attended by more than 300 scholars, students, and influencers — the Queen gave a speech that emphasised the need to unite against a common enemy of “irreligious terrorists whose sole aim is to destroy the civilised world”.
She pointed to extremist groups’ efforts in destroying ancient monuments and obliterating grand archaeological landmarks, thousands of years’ worth of archaeological heritage and human coexistence.
She cited examples such as the ancient city of Palmyra, the 12th century Khudr Mosque in Mosul, and the 7th century St Ahoadamah Church in Tikrit.
“They’re targeting our collective history…the foundations of our civilisation… In essence — humanity’s very memory.”
Her Majesty described the ugliness of the world that Daesh has painted; a world which has brought only displacement, death, and “entire nations on edge.”
“We’ve been haunted by scenes from Syria and Iraq… communities robbed of life, livelihoods destroyed, childhoods lost, schools and hospitals deserted, torture and mass murder,” she added.
Her Majesty said the images of extremists’ inhumane actions and their consequences are a “glimpse” of what their dark world would look like.
“They’re deluded enough to think that they can author a new era, AD, After Daesh,” she added, and underlined the urgent need for a response to this multifaceted attack.
“It must be a turning point for humanity,” the Queen urged, explaining that this is every country’s war.
Queen Rania called for a concerted response, “because for the first time in history, the civilised world has a common enemy” — one which is destroying the past and threatening the future.
Further, Her Majesty called for “a can-do coalition” of political and religious leaders, as well as populations all over the world uniting against extremist groups.
She said this alliance will require courage to do things different, “to work with people of whom we were once suspicious”, and form “new coalitions between lapsed friends, old foes and untapped resources”.
“This is more than just a physical war,” she added. “We have to fight on many fronts, and defeating Daesh depends on understanding their tactics and twisted mindsets.”
Her Majesty pointed to the group’s use of psychological warfare, with fear as its designated weapon, “the ultimate weapon of mass destruction”, and a most contagious one.
She went on to note that courage is just as contagious, adding that ordinary acts, from going to the cinema and bazaars, to making beautiful art, are in defiance to the group’s attempted intimidations.
The Queen also touched on the extremist group’s invocation of Islam and reaffirmed: “There is nothing Islamic about these terrorists.”
“The more they attribute their actions to Islam,” Her Majesty said, “the more they provoke intolerance against all peace-loving Muslims”.
Ultimately, what this leads to is an increased and misplaced fear of one another, rather than of the terrorists, she added.
The moment suspicion takes grip, Her Majesty said, the battle is lost.
“Please, let’s continue to treat each other with respect and openness. As you’re doing today by honouring an Arab…Muslim… woman,” she urged the audience.
Queen Rania stressed the need to adopt respect and openness as guides while moving forward.
“Let that be the final irony,” she added, “The extremists who sought to tear apart our social fabric and turn us against each other, actually bring us closer together.”
To conclude, Queen Rania referred to Rome, the “eternal” city — “a city where scholarship and science, culture and creativity, art and architecture, have endured and thrived for centuries”, as an exemplary blueprint of hope.
She ended her speech by affirming that “together, we can ensure that the future that passes here, and everywhere, is a safe, and secure and beautiful one for all of us and for our children.”
Receiving the honorary doctorate from Sapienza University places Her Majesty among a community of notable alumni that include Maria Montessori, founder of the Montessori method of education; Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank; Sergio Balanzino, deputy secretary general of NATO; and Federica Mogherini, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
Past recipients of honorary doctorates from the university have included Mohammed Yunus, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Pope John Paul II, and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, head of the African Union Commission.
Sapienza University was founded in 1303 and is the oldest university in Rome as well as one of the largest today, with over 120,000 students, 8,000 of whom are international students.