Muslim women must stand up and speak out about who we are, what we believe and where we are going. I think we need to know that our counterparts in the west are also willing to listen and reciprocate.

When girls are educated, you get effects that cascade throughout society.

Educate a woman and you educate her family. Educate a girl and you change the future.

Children keep us in check. Their laughter prevents our hearts from hardening. Their dreams ensure we never lose our drive to make ours a better world. They are the greatest disciplinarians known to mankind.

If you educate a boy, you educate a person, but if you educate a girl, you educate a family and benefit an entire community.” An entire community - now that is really interesting! Then I found the quote changed a little more on the Kingdom of Jordan website by her Royal Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan during her interview with Oprah Winfrey. Queen Rania relates the quote in these words: “As you educate a woman, you educate the family. If you educate the girls, you educate the future.

Extremism is not endemic in my region, nor is anti-Western sentiment. No doubt there is discontent and distrust. That is towards more the American and some Western policies, and not toward the American people.

The job description for a queen changes with the times.