HH Sheikha Moza awarded Order of Smile in Warsaw

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser drank a cup of bitter lemon juice, then smiled, as she was decorated today in the presence of the First Lady of Poland, Anna Komorowska, at a ceremony to receive a special award given by children to adults in recognition of their services to children.

The award, the Order of the Smile, originated in Poland but now has international status, and the drinking of the lemon juice is traditional for the recipient of the Order, symbolising that the recipient of the award will always smile, despite the bitterness of the juice.

Her Highness was nominated for the award, making her a Dame of the Order of the Smile, by a young patient receiving treatment for cancer at the Mother and Child Centre in Warsaw who had come to hear of her work.  Other Knights and Dames of the Order of the Smile include Mother Teresa, the 14th Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, JK Rowling and King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Following a musical recital by school children, Her Highness was introduced by Marek Michalak, Polish Ombudsman for Children and Director of the International Chapter of the Order of the Smile, who told the assembled audience about her work as a supporter of children everywhere, particularly in the field of education.

In her acceptance speech, Her Highness spoke of her pleasure at receiving such an award decided by children themselves. She stressed the importance of education and her passion to help get the world’s out-of-school children back into school and in a message to all the children present, she asked for their support to make the world a better place in the future.

Her Highness finished by saying, ‘I believe in you, the children. I believe in the power of your smiles’.

Before the awarding of the Order, Her Highness and the audience had been treated to a musical performance by children from the school of the Order of the Smile who had travelled from their school in Świdnica to Warsaw especially for the ceremony.