LONDON: Queen Rania reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment to humility and diplomacy in a Middle East troubled by conflict during a speech at the South by Southwest London conference on Wednesday.
She said that since late 2023 a prevailing “sense of heaviness” had been felt across the Middle East, particularly in Gaza, Lebanon, and Sudan, and during the recent US and Israeli war against Iran.
“It’s the weight of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and the entire population is still denied adequate healthcare, nutrition, or shelter,” she said, as reported by the Jordan News Agency.
She said the volunteer-run community kitchens in Gaza and Lebanon were examples of collective work that cultivated discipline and partnership. Jordan and Saudi Arabia are among countries operating kitchens and aid projects in Gaza, providing thousands of families with meals amid Israeli restrictions on humanitarian supplies.
Queen Rania emphasized that Jordan has one of the highest per capita refugee populations in the world and that Jordanians have generously supported aid efforts for Gaza.
She said that climate change, wealth inequality, the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs, and the normalization of racism and bigotry were global challenges that required cooperation to confront, Petra added.
She said: “At the risk of sounding biased — though I am — I believe Jordanians consistently demonstrate the value of community, discipline, and humility.”
SXSW London 2026 is a platform for the technology and creative industries, launched in 2025 as the European edition of the globally renowned SXSW event, established in Austin, Texas, in 1987.
