Queen Rania of Jordan chosen as an honorary Hans Christian Andersen ambassador

Oct 4, 2005, 12:33 GMT

Queen Rania of Jordan has been chosen as an honorary Hans Christian Andersen ambassador.

The accolade from the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation is in recognition of the queen's effort to promote literacy and education in the Danish Kingdom and around the world.

The foundation - which was founded in Denmark, and has the country's Queen Margrethe II as patron - promotes appreciation and awareness of Hans Christian Andersen, who penned a number of classic children's books, including 'The Princess and the Pea' and 'The Ugly Duckling'.

During the award ceremony, Ole Egberg Mikkelsen, the Danish Ambassador to Jordan spoke of the author's legacy in fostering international cultural dialogue and the value of that legacy today.

He said Hans Christian Andersen ambassadors such as the glamorous royal "embody the true spirit of international cultural dialogue".

Grethe Rostboell, former Danish minister of culture and chair of the Danish Centre for Culture and Development presented the ambassadorial diploma and pin to Queen Rania.

She noted the stunning queen's position as "an engaged modern role model for women" and her work in improving literacy and education.

Rania ended the ceremony by reading one of Andersen's most popular fairytales, 'The Emperor's New Clothes' to a group of small children.

The appointment of the queen coincides with the bicentennial celebration of the writer's birth in 1805.

The anniversary is being used to launch a renewed focus on literacy throughout the world.

Copyright 2005 BANG Media International