India

(Office of Her Majesty, Press Department- New Delhi) – Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah attended the United Nations Foundation (UNF) Board meeting in New Delhi today, in her capacity as the only Arab member of the board. The meeting took place in India to allow UNF members to see first-hand how partnerships and innovation are powering a more sustainable future for India and the world.

Presiding at the meeting were Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner, Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth, and N.R. Narayana Murthy, Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Infosys Limited.

(Office of Her Majesty, Press Department - New Delhi) Addressing an audience of leaders, opinion shapers and policy makers from all around India, on Friday, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah spoke of Jordan and India’s shared spirit of optimism and openness, charging one of the world’s emerging economic powers with the responsibility towards a moral and just leadership in the 21st century.

(Office of Her Majesty – Press Department – New Delhi) - Access to quality education and child immunization were the focus of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah's two-day trip to the Indian subcontinent, which began on Friday, to draw attention to the plight of children and reiterate the need for increased efforts in the global struggle against preventable diseases.

Light showers overnight meant a cooler morning, a welcome change to the previous evening.  I was grateful; we had a busy day ahead. 

We set off to the Kusum Pahari district, one of Delhi’s most disadvantaged areas, home to some 130,000 people. As we moved through the narrow alleyways, I was greeted with the brightest smiles and most graceful namastes. Between the industriousness of the street barbers, the shopkeepers stacking their shelves and women hanging out washing, there was a real sense of purpose and vibrancy in this little community.  

Recently, I was fortunate to visit India, Delhi specifically, for the first time.  I would like to share my first impressions of this amazing and expansive city with you. 

With 25 million babies born annually in India, ensuring they all have a safe and healthy start to life is a considerable challenge. This morning, I visited the Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, one of India’s oldest and most prolific vaccination strongholds.