It’s not every day that a 15-year-old high school junior gets to meet a prince. North Bergen High School student Yasmeen Abdelkader is still reeling from the experience, calling it a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”
“When the prince walked into the dining hall the drums were rolling,” she said. “All eyes were on him with his traditional Saudi clothing and head cover while everyone else was in plain old suits. At first I was awestruck because I had never seen an actual prince before.”
Abdelkader had a brief chance to interact with the prince and exchange business cards “before he was submerged in a sea of people. When you think of a prince you think of someone stuck up and all about money, but in reality he was kind-hearted, gentle, and polite.”
The event was the C3 US-Arab Business Summit in New York City and the prince was HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Tala Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, one of the event’s keynote speakers and a member of the International Advisory Committee, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.
“At first I was awestruck because I had never seen an actual prince before.” – Yasmeen Abdelkader
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Abdelkader attended with her parents, owners of the company Fast Visa Services, which provides visas to international travelers, with a particular focus on the Middle East.
Bridging gaps
“We got there really early in the morning and set up,” said Abdelkader. Her parents had a table at the event to provide information on their company. Other attendees included international banks, colleges, insurance companies, and the United Nations. “As the day progressed there were meetings and speeches of all different sorts.”
AbdelKader attended some of the meetings over the course of the day, including the first one, The Importance of Bridging the Gap Between Arab and Western Cultures: The Way Forward. Moderator John Duke Anthony is the founding president and CEO of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, and currently serves on the United States Department of State Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy and its subcommittee on sanctions.
“He talked about how we need each side to engage with each other,” said Abdelkader. “There was a panel of like five people and they all spoke and gave their perspectives. It was really all about how we want to be one world.”
At another session an award was given to the second keynote speaker, Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor of the United Arab Emirates. As chairman of the Al Habtoor Group, he heads a conglomerate known for construction, hotels, real estate, education, and publishing in the gulf. “They presented a lifetime achievement award and had a Q&A,” said Abdelkader, proudly adding, “I got a copy of the book.”
“There were all different types of speeches concerning the metaphorical ‘gap bridging’ and how crucial it is to do so,” she added. “Also, how trade and commerce is of utmost importance between the US and Arab worlds. Without it, they would not be the countries they are today.”
Rare privilege
“Being there was a privilege that many young people my age don’t have,” said Abdelkader. “All in all, it was a great experience that helped me understand economic situations and gave me insight on further business ventures throughout my high school, college, and career life.”
In fact, she found the experience so valuable she is in the process of applying for a related program next summer. The National Council Arab World Scholar Program accepts about 100 students nationally for a one-week internship program in Washington D.C.
“This time it’s actually for somebody my age,” she said. “For the application process you have to fill out an application online and write an essay on the challenges for the Obama administration regarding U.S.-Arab relations.”
After that, Abdelkader is already looking ahead toward further internship programs that would allow her to travel the world promoting businesses.
“I’m determined to get what I want and find any program or internship that can help me succeed in life,” she said.
But lest you think she’s a budding diplomat or facilitator, Abdelkader has other career goals. Several of them, in fact.
“I actually want to be an actress,” she said. “But you have to know somebody in that game. I also want to be a doctor and I want to be a psychologist. And sometimes I want to join the FBI, but I’m not so sure about that one. And I want to be a beautician, too.”
Art Schwartz may be reached at arts@hudsonreporter.com.