Queen of Jordan Will Visit Harvard

Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan will visit Harvard today in response to a student-initiated invitation from the Harvard-Radcliffe Society of Arab Students (SAS).

The queen is scheduled to speak at the Kennedy School of Government at 7 p.m. on "Challenges of Peace: A Jordanian Perspective."

Queen Noor devotes much of her time promoting the international exchange of topics relating to Middle Eastern politics, including human rights, the environment, education and health issues, according to a Kennedy School press release.

While in Jordan, the queen regularly sponsors programs in community development, culture, children's welfare and public architecture and planning, according to the release.

Members of the SAS said they are eagerly anticipating Queen Noor's arrival and expect a large turnout for the event.

"Its a pretty cool thing that she's coming to speak to us," said SAS member Nasreen B. Bulos '97.

The 20-member SAS wrote to Queen Noor in March and were excited to receive a prompt acceptance of the invitation the following month, said SAS Vice-President Muna G. Sukhtian '97.

"We invited her and then we asked the Institute of Politics (IOP) and the Middle East Institute to help us out," Sukhtian said.

Queen Noor once lived and was educated in United States.

While Sukhtian modestly said the invitation was a group effort, SAS member Dareen N. Hakim '99 credits Sukhtian for playing a central role in bringing the queen to Harvard.

The queen's speech will focus on attaining peace in the Middle East and the struggles third world countries currently face, according to the release.

"It's obviously a very hard topic and it will be informative to get first hand information on the current situation in the middle east," Sukhtian said.

As the wife of His Majesty King Hussein of Jordan, who holds a highly influential role in Middle Eastern politics, the queen has a distinctive and personal perspective, the statement said.

The members of SAS, several professors, and Friends of the IOP will also be attending a post-speech reception with Queen Noor in which they will meet with her personally.

Security arrangements for the speech and the reception will be organized by the IOP.

There will not be a lottery for tickets to the event, according to Sukhtian.