Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah (formerly Rania Al-Yasin) was born in Kuwait on August 31, 1970 to a notable Jordanian family of Palestinian origin. She completed her primary and secondary education in Kuwait, and in 1991 obtained a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo. Upon her graduation from university, Queen Rania returned to Jordan and pursued a career in banking, followed by a brief career in the field of Information Technology. His Majesty King Abdullah bin Al-Hussein (then Prince) married Queen Rania on June 10, 1993. After her marriage to then Prince Abdullah, Queen Rania channeled her energies behind initiatives that aim to improve the livelihood of Jordanians from various sectors of society. As First Lady, Queen Rania's activities encompass issues of national concern, such as the environment, youth, human rights, tourism, and culture, among others. She also has a special interest in several core issues: the development of income-generating projects and the advancement of best practices in the field of microfinance, the promotion of family safety and the protection of children from violence, the promotion of Early Childhood Development, and the incorporation of Information Technology into the educational system; and the promotion of tourism and the preservation of Jordan?s heritage.
The Queen currently heads the Higher National Committee of the Declaration of Amman the Arab Cultural Capital 2002. She heads the Higher National Committee of the Jordan Song Festival, and also annually lends her patronage to the Jordanian Festival for the Arab Child Song. In tribute to His Majesty the Late King Hussein, and on the first anniversary of his passing away, Queen Rania produced ?The King?s Gift?--a children?s book about the Late King. Proceeds of the book go to the benefit of underprivileged children across Jordan.
She is also Honorary President of the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences (AABFS), a pioneering institute in the region offering technical and academic training in banking and financial services. And is also Honorary President of the Arab Women Labor Affairs Committee of the Arab Labor Organization. She is President of the Jordan Society for Organ Donation and the Jordan Cancer Society. On July 12, 2001, Queen Rania was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. She is fluent in Arabic and English, and has a working knowledge of French.
