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Princess Benedikte confers Royal Medal on Fatima
posted on 01/12/2010: 107 views
Princess Benedikte of Denmark sister of the Queen of Denmark, Patron of the Olave Baden Powell Society (OB-PS), and Patron of the Global Girls Fund, decorated yesterday H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of General Women's Union (GWU) and of Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Honorary President of the Girl Guides Association of the United Arab Emirates, with the Royal Medal of Merit in recognition of her distinguished contributions to, and support for the scouting movement in the world.
Sheikha Fatima was the third personality to be awarded this honour after Egyptian first lady Suzanne Mubarak and HM Queen Silvia of Sweden.
The latest honour recognises Sheikh Fatima's vital role in empowering woman in the UAE. She assumed honorary presidency of the Girl Guides Association of the United Arab Emirates in 1975 and became the chief commissioner in 1988. Sheikha Fatima was also awarded with the Lady Baden-Powell's badge in 1989 for her contribution to establishing the venue of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and the Silver Fish Medal, the highest scouting decoration in Egypt, for her support for the scouting movement in the UAE and the Arab World.
The award-giving presentation, which took place at the GWU's premises, was graced by Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairwoman of the Girl Guides Association of the United Arab Emirates, a number of Sheikhas, Mariam Mohammed Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State, Noura Al Suweidi, Director General of GWU and a group of leaders of woman movement.
Princess Benedikte presented badges to a number of new members of Olave Baden-Powell Society. The honourees included Sheikha Al Yaziya bint Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, wife of H.H. Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan, wife of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, Sheikha Khuwla bint Ahmed Khalifa Al Suweidi, wife of HH Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikha Al Yaziya bint Saif Al Nahyan, wife of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, and Sheikha Aysha bint Suhail Al Ketbi. Other members were Sheikha Fatima bint Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, daughters of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Sheikhas Maryam, Shamsa, Fatima, Shama), and Hisa and Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In her welcome address, the Danish Princess thanked Sheikha Fatima for her help in enabling the Society to meet the challenge of positively impacting the lives of girls and young women across the world. We are so grateful to you for introducing the new members here today! Your support is of immense value to us.
'I would also like to thank Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al-Qasimi for opening so many doors for us here within the United Arab Emirates. She is a wonderful example of someone who has built significant bridges of goodwill that have strengthened Guiding both within the United Arab Emirates and across the wider Middle East. We are all very much looking forward to the next few days that we will be spending together in Sharjah, the Princess said.
Talking about the role of young women in society and the impact guiding and scouting is making in their lives,' she said: 'We live in a world in need of humanity an understanding. With this in mind, The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is the largest, international, voluntary organisation for girls and young women in the world. Its mission ‘to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of their respective communities" This year marks the beginning of the Ceremony Celebrations for the World Association. It is an opportunity to celebrate the progress that has been made and recognise the efforts of numerous people all over the globe. Thanks to the Guiding Movement, the lives of millions of girls and young women have improved enormously over the past one hundred years.
'However there is still a lot we can do ensure that girls and young women enjoy a world that is free from poverty, hunger and disease, and where they no longer fall victims to violence, inequality or injustice.
We cannot solve all the problems of the world, but we can reach out and make life better for those who participate Girl Guiding and for their families and communities. We can help girls and young women to build both their self esteem and confidence, whilst also enabling them to gain new experiences. Empowerment is at the heart of our work. Indeed, we believe that empowerment of girls and young women is critical in breaking the cycle of discrimination and violence that so many of experience in the world today.
Within the Arab region, she indicated, young women are active at all levels of society. There are 160,000 Girl Guides across the region today. Trough our non-formal education methods, we give young women the essential skills, and most importantly, the confidence to develop their fullest potential.
'Through Girl Guiding, young women are able to learn and develop as individuals and to participate fully in the welfare of their communities.
Girl Guides are breaking down traditional perceptions and modern Girl Guides are campaigning about climate change,' she added.
They, the Danish Princes noted, bring clean water to whole villages, and empower people in poverty to generate income. They encourage mothers with no education to strive for skills and children without hope to envisage a better future. By teaching girls and young women tolerance and respect for others we build bridges of goodwill and friendship in promoting peace.
On the Society's mission, Princess Benedikte explained the Society was established 25 years ago with a vision of supporting the work of the World Association and so enables over 10 million girls and young women to build a better future. Without the generosity of the Olave Baden-Powell Society members, the World Association would not have the resources to maintain its present work. The goodwill and support of these wonderful donors is of enormous value in spreading awareness of what the Girl Guide Movement is delivering and hoping to achieve.
'We are naturally keen to expand our membership of the Society, for as we grow so does our ability to positively impact the lives of girls and young women across the world. I must therefore particularly thank Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak for her help in enabling us to meet this challenge.
Addressing the new members, she said 'You are all helping to invest in the financial stability of the World Association, which is of particular relevance in this time of financial challenges.
'More importantly, however, you are choosing to invest in the lives of millions of girls and young women around the world, empowering them to build better futures that will affect them, their families, their nations and our world, Princess Benedikte concluded. – Emirates News Agency, WAM
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