Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan

Born on August 31, 1970, Rania Al Yassin received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo in 1991. She briefly worked in the banking sector before pursuing a career in information technology. She has been married to Jordan’s King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein since June 10, 1993. An active humanitarian and a mother of four, Queen Rania has dedicated much of her career to improving the lives of the underprivileged. In Jordan, she has launched extensive initiatives to enhance education, empower local women and children, and drive innovation, technology and entrepreneurship. She has also been instrumental in forging partnerships between the private and public sectors to create opportunities for Jordan’s youth. An advocate for tolerance, Queen Rania has spoken widely on fighting stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims, and has worked tirelessly to foster greater understanding between people of different faiths and cultures. Her Majesty has received a number of prestigious awards, including the Vital Voices’ Global Trailblazer Award, the Foreign Press Association’s first-ever Humanitarian Award, the Andrea Bocelli Humanitarian Award, the Walther Rathenau Prize, A Heart for Children’s Golden Heart Award, and the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award. Through her position on their boards, Queen Rania continues to contribute to the work of the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Additionally, she is UNICEF’s first Eminent Advocate for Children, as well as a member of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) board of directors.