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AMMAN — Jordan's Queen Rania said Monday that her 5-month YouTube project aimed at challenging stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims hasn't made intolerance "melt away" but it has sparked some change in attitudes.
The media-savvy monarch plans to wrap up on Tuedsay a series of daily interactive YouTube video and written blog postings that she launched in March to create online dialogue with young people in the West and promote moderate Islam.
"I'd like to think I've made some people pause, reflect and reconsider ideas and assumptions they held as true, but it would be naive to think that everyone who clicked on to the page, now thinks differently," Rania told The Associated Press in an e-mail.
Over the past five months, her YouTube site had more than 2 million visitors. Viewers can watch her daily video postings on subjects that including honor killings, terrorism and the Arab women's rights. Musicians, comedians and other personalities also contributed, and viewers could respond by posting their own written comments and videos.
An ardent advocate of women and children's rights in Jordan, the Palestinian-born Rania said she was "very pleased" with the frank discussions and probing questions YouTube's freedom provided. She said she witnessed "changes in attitude" mainly among the site's returning visitors.
While her YouTube debate "hasn't made tensions and intolerance between cultures melt away," she said she hoped it challenged some to reconsider how they think about those who "look different, dress differently, worship in a different way, and live in the same community as them."
"If it resulted in a smile to a stranger, or a knock introducing yourself to your neighbor, then I'd be very proud," she added.
Rania said her YouTube channel would remain online after Tuesday, and she would post "from time to time," but less frequently.
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On the Net:
Queen Rania's YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/queenrania
Queen Rania's Web site: http://www.queenrania.jo
