"I have become a great believer that God Almighty has delegated children to be our guiding light," Queen Rania of Jordan told a 700-strong audience at the Science, Technology & Arts Royal Summit gala dinner in Dubai on Thursday, January 17, 2002.
The crowd included Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and former US president Bill Clinton.
“For they are the brightest stars of all,” she continued. “They are the symbols of hope, optimism and of our unquenchable desire for a better future. They are the mortal enemies of ‘it can’t be done’ and the staunchest allies of ‘why not?’ … Indeed, they are the preview of a bright future, and a constant reminder that we can deliver it.”
The UK-registered charity behind the event, Stars Foundation, which was founded by Saudi businessman and philanthropist Amr Al Dabbagh, worked to support underprivileged children around the world for more than a decade.
In 2019, it closed its doors, according to its website, although the good work will continue through Al Dabbagh's Philanthropy University, a free online learning platform for social change, plus With and For Girls, the "world's only participatory fund by, and for, adolescent girls".
