Women suffer from being marginalized for decades. I hope things came back as they had been in early Islamic era in which everyone had been active members in the society, said H.R.H. Princess Adelah bint Abdullah, in an interview with Resalah Newspaper..  

Resalah: What is your opinion about universities’ roles in serving the society? 

Princess Adelah: Universities cannot change the society all alone; they need an interactive society in which people serve the society positively. Educationalists have identified a number of factors to universities to partake positively in society servicing.  First;  interlinking higher education to society’s cultural, educational, professional needs. Second; harnessing higher education to fulfill  needs of individuals and the society. Third; diversifying study programs to help students comprehend new developments. Fourth; holding sessions, workshops, conferences, seminars, etc that hone up skills of people and students. The universities have done their best to achieve this on the ground. However, they have future plans to better serve the society.

Resalah: How far do you evaluate translation in the Arab World?

Princess Adelah: The UNESCO has made a report reading that the Arab world, the population is of which is 270 million soul, produces 475 translated books a year, whereas Spain – the populating of which hits 38 million soul – produces more than 10000 translated books  a year. This proves the necessity of enhancing translation process in the Arab world. Kelmah ,  a non-profit project, is under way in 10 languages and will start up soon.

Resalah: What about the King Abdullah International Award  for Translation?

Princess Adelah: The award managed to be ahead of  other awards in response to the call of King Abdullah to increase bridges of knowledge and culture with other peoples. It achieve intellectual communication and makes rapprochement between peoples.

Resalah: What stands against progress of Saudi universities?

Princess Adelah: The Saudi universities must have their own strategic missions to reach their aspirations. These missions must go in line with the overall plan the Ministry Higher Education works out. The first university that works on having its own strategic plan is the King Saud University (KSU). Lack of vision is problem of most Arab universities.

Resalah: Women are capable of making achievements on the ground. Why can’t they claim their rights?

Princess Adelah: Maybe because the Saudi society is not responsive to the thorny issues of women as they have been suffering of being marginalized for decades. However, let us admit that women issues in all communities are sensitive, and in the Arab world they are more sensitive. I hope that the women could contribute to the society as they had done in the era of Prophet Muhammad , peace be upon him, and early Islamic era, throughout which everyone contributed to the society positively.

Resalah: What about Saudi girls role in voluntary action?

Princess Adelah: Youth, particularly, girls are the most active segment of the society in voluntary action. I think that the Saudi girls realize their roles in the  voluntary action. We are seeing their first initiatives in the field: holding conferences, seminars, and events for promoting voluntary work.

Resalah: What are the obstacles to voluntary action?

Princess Adelah: They are lacking of specialized voluntary commissions to compile databases; regularize work; and draft work mechanism. The families find it is difficult to implant the morals of voluntary action into minds of their children as the academic institutions are inactive in raising a generation aware of voluntary action, either.