Queen makes Youtube appealQueen's a peachBy Sylvie Barak: Tuesday, 01 April 2008, 7:42 AMQUEEN RANIA OF JORDAN has just launched a Youtube campaign asking the world to "send me your stereotypes". The beautiful, modern and tech savvy Queen hopes that by reaching out to the world via the popular video site, she will be able to spark a worldwide debate, and open positive global dialogue about the true nature of the Arab world, Islam, and the Middle East.Queen Rania, in a video promoting the YouTube effort, said that she was keen for people to tell her their stereotypes and preconceptions, promising that she would try to debunk them and give the world a chance to "know the real Arab world ... unedited, unscripted and unfiltered".The Jordanian queen, who was born Palestinian, married King Abdullah in 1993. Because Jordan is one of the most modern countries in the region, and allows free uncensored access to the Internet and to sites like YouTube, the Queen’s message will be a powerful one, not only for her own six million subjects, but to Internet users everywhere.Queen Rania of JordanQueen Rania believes that the actuality of life in the Middle East will come as a surprise to many who hold stereotypes of the region and its people, especially those who use broad generalisations when it comes to thinking about the Arab world.In an impassioned plea, the Queen asks people to help her fulfill her goal of helping people "to see the personal side of my region, to know the places and faces and rituals and culture that shape the part of the world I call home." In using the popular medium of YouTube, Queen Rania aims to create a sort of digital bridge between cultures and communities.People are already taking the Queen up on her offer, with the Youtube comment forum, as well as the queen’s own personal website forum, filled with questions and comments. Many comments centre around the issue of women’s rights in the Arab world (mainly about veil wearing and dominance of men in the workplace), whilst others voice their preconceptions of Arabs as illiterate, cruel and violent.One user asked the Queen to help her dismantle the myth that Arab people had only very limited access to healthcare, whilst another asked her about honour killings of women and gays.In a region in which the Internet is more often than not seen by the authorities as a dangerous tool to be censored and controlled, Queen Rania is taking the opposite stance and is taking full advantage of the web’s universal potential. The enlightened Jordanian queen is sending a powerful message as to the positive and vital nature of free speech, and it is truly a breath of fresh air.
