Queen Rania Posts Statement on Facebook Marking Five Years Since Conflict Broke Out in Syria

(Office of Her Majesty – Press Department – Amman)  On the occasion of the passing of five years since the war broke out in Syria, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah posted a statement on her official Facebook page describing some of the grim consequences of the conflict. The war, which has unleashed the worst humanitarian crisis of our time, means Syrian children aged five and under have only ever experienced death, carnage, displacement, and poverty.

In her statement, the Queen called for the protection of Syrian children, whose lives must not be scarred by violence for good. Her Majesty also shared a video produced by the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) of a resilient young Syrian girl, who has lost so much in the war but is still determined to achieve her aspirations.

Below is the text of Her Majesty's Facebook post:

"Now in its sixth terrible year, the Syrian conflict continues to wreak havoc on its people, its country and our region.

More than half of Syria's population has been displaced; 2.4 million Syrian children have been forced to flee their homes to neighboring countries. The 3.7 million Syrian children born since the conflict began have known nothing but a lifetime of loss, violence and trauma. They don't know where 'home' is. Many have suffered lasting and irreparable damage to their bodies and minds.

On this heartbreaking anniversary, let's pause to think about those whose lives have been uprooted and forever changed. And let us all dig deeper to find ways to support the children of this conflict - with healthcare to help them heal and with education to give them the hope for a better future."

Queen Rania published her statement in Arabic and English.