Women’s leadership: Model for 3rd millennium

Crown Princess of Romania Margarita

Princess Margarita of Romania

Both my background in sociology, international law and political science, as well as the fact that I have been blessed to have in my family’s heritage the example of exceptional women who have played an influential role in public life, have forged my strong belief that women have a paramount role to play in today’s world.

My great-grandmother Queen Marie, queen consort of Romania from 1914 to 1927, remains a greatly admired and beloved figure.

Her humanitarian and diplomatic efforts for our country during World War I and subsequently during the 1919 Paris Peace Conference won her worldwide acclaim and affection.

She was here in Turkey many years before me. She came as a messenger of peace and reconciliation between our two nations.

Her predecessor, Elisabeta, the first queen of Romania, besides being a progressive queen, was
a famous international author and poetess, known all over Europe under the pseudonym of “Carmen Sylva.”

She published over 53 volumes in seven European languages, she founded institutions for the poor, schools, hospitals, soup kitchens, convalescent homes, cooking schools and crèches, she fought for the respect for sanitary laws,

Against Nazism

My grandmother, Queen Helen of Romania, played a luminous, if discreet, role in the dark history of Romania in the 20th century. She was a courageous and strong woman, thrown into the midst of history’s brutal machinations, while single-handedly educating her son in the skills of leadership. She was a constant support of the democratic forces of Romania during the years between 1940 and 1947. Her role in World War II will not be forgotten by the thousands whose lives she saved and who she cared for. In the face of the tyranny of Nazism, she displayed a resolutely strong character, pursuing what she knew to be right and good. She was involved in saving the lives of thousands of people of the Jewish faith during the dictatorship of Marshal Antonescu.

And today my mother, Queen Anne, is a living reminder that, in the face of danger, women look forward and are ready to fight for a noble cause – that of freedom and democracy. Queen Anne was a lieutenant in the French Army, fought in World War II driving an ambulance, as a military nurse, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre by France for her service.

In today’s society women have the chance to show that achievement does not mean only gain for one’s self, but also common gain.

With this mindset women can bring a different view into humanity’s fight against climate change, growing social inequality and extremism in all its forms.

Our capacity for caring is our strength. Whenever disaster strikes women are found to be those who can be trusted with rebuilding quickly and effectively the resource networks needed for a community to prosper. And women, when given the chance, have been shown to be the most reliable, fair and successful private entrepreneurs of the world.