OXFORD, Miss. – In searching for peace, the world could
benefit by examining how the University of Mississippi
moved past its racial divisions, said His Majesty King
Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of Jordan in a speech today on
the Oxford campus.
Sponsored by UM’s Trent Lott Leadership Institute,
King Abdullah in his only public address during
his visit to the United States focused on efforts
to promote interfaith dialogue and cross-cultural
understanding. He told the estimated 900 people in
attendance at the Ford Center for Performing Arts
that meeting those challenges requires global
tolerance and dialogue.
“Success will require our energy, our intellect and most of all – our will,” said the king. “Here at the University of Mississippi, you showed what people can do together to overcome the mistakes and divisions of the past, and move forward to a new era, a promising era for all.”
Citing bombings in New York, Madrid, London,
Riyadh, Istanbul and the capital of Jordan, Amman,
King Abdullah said the terrorists’ aims are clear:
They seek to undermine public confidence in an open
society and in the rule of law.
“Defense requires more than security measures,” His
Majesty said. “We must deflect the extremists’
efforts to drive us off the path forward.”
A follower of Islam, King Abdullah said traditional
Muslims reject extremist violence and hatred. To
oppose false teachings, Jordan released the Amman
Message more than a year ago, which explains the
true nature of Islam and calls for a peaceful
coexistence among all human beings. The worldwide
Organization of the Islamic Conference has since
endorsed the message.
“The Amman Message is an all-Islamic initiative,
but the road of moderation is not for Muslims
alone,” King Abdullah said. “All of us have a
responsibility to promote the intercultural,
interfaith understanding that our future depends
on.”
U.S. Sen. Trent Lott introduced King Abdullah to
the Ford Center audience as a “close friend.” Lott
said the Ole Miss campus provided an opportunity
for future leaders to see and hear from one of the
world’s most informative and helpful leaders. Lott
also commented on the importance of understanding
different cultures and people, just as His Majesty
alluded to during his address.
“King Abdullah is a compassionate, sincere man,”
Lott said. “He’s concerned about Mississippi and
the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina, and
he’s contributed funds to help us rebuild.”
In regard to the Middle East, King Abdullah said
the recent Palestinian elections must be respected.
He said both Palestinians and Israelis are tired of
the violence, and it is vital for the international
community to support the peace process.
“Establishing a viable, sovereign Palestinian state
alongside a secure Israel is the only way to put an
end to violence and extremism,” King Abdullah
said.
He also called on the international community to
support the Iraqi people as they rebuild their
country. He said, “The entire world has a stake in
a unified, stable and prosperous Iraq.”
Chancellor Robert Khayat, who had invited King
Abdullah to UM several years ago, welcomed the king
to campus. As Sen. Lott introduced Khayat to King
Abdullah, the king remarked that he is “a Redskins
fan,” alluding to Khayat’s earlier career as a
kicker for the NFL team.
Before his speech, King Abdullah met backstage with
UM students and faculty members from Jordan and
groups of students from the Sally McDonnell
Barksdale Honors College and Lott Leadership
Institute. Three Jordanian graduate students showed
the king poster presentations of their research
projects in electrical engineering, civil
engineering and physical acoustics.
A 43rd generation direct descendent of the Prophet
Muhammad, King Abdullah assumed his constitutional
powers as Monarch of Jordan on Feb. 7, 1999, the
day his father, the late King Hussein, died.