The right to a quality education is, I believe, the perfect path

Her Highness Moza bint Nasser, a visionary advocate for education and social progress, once declared: “The right to a quality education is, I believe, the perfect path to bridge the gap between different cultures and to reconcile various civilizations. Without such a right, the values of liberty, justice and equality will have no meaning. Ignorance is by far the biggest danger and threat to humankind.” In these words lies both a warning and a promise — a truth that has echoed through centuries of human struggle. For education, she reminds us, is not merely the privilege of the fortunate; it is the sacred foundation of peace, the light that dissolves the shadows of division and misunderstanding. Without it, liberty becomes an empty word, justice a distant dream, and equality a forgotten ideal.

Her wisdom arises from a deep understanding of civilization’s fragile fabric. Throughout history, cultures have risen and fallen not by the strength of their armies, but by the strength of their minds. When knowledge flows freely, nations thrive; when ignorance takes root, they decay. Moza bint Nasser, who has dedicated her life to promoting education in the Arab world and beyond, sees learning as the bridge that unites peoples separated by race, language, or faith. In her vision, education is not only a tool for advancement but a force for reconciliation, the great healer of humanity’s divisions. It teaches understanding where there is fear, dialogue where there is prejudice, and compassion where there is hate.

The ancient sages understood this well. In the academies of Plato and the libraries of Alexandria, scholars of many nations gathered in pursuit of truth, transcending their differences through learning. They knew that wisdom belonged not to one people, but to all who sought it sincerely. So too did Moza bint Nasser echo their spirit, proclaiming that the “right to a quality education” must belong to every child, for it is the birthright of the human soul. Education does not belong to East or West, to men or women, to rich or poor — it belongs to all. It is the common language of the mind, the bridge upon which civilizations meet.

History offers proof of her words. Consider the story of Malala Yousafzai, the young girl who, in the mountains of Pakistan, risked her life for the right to go to school. When she was attacked for her defiance, her response was not vengeance but a cry for universal education. Her courage united millions across cultures and religions. Through her voice, the world was reminded that ignorance breeds violence, but education breeds peace. Like Moza bint Nasser, Malala showed that when one child learns, the world moves closer to harmony — for each enlightened mind becomes a torch against the darkness of hatred.

And yet, Moza’s warning is grave and clear: “Ignorance is by far the biggest danger and threat to humankind.” The ancients feared it too, for ignorance blinds men to truth and turns them into instruments of cruelty. Wars have been fought not only over land, but over lies born of ignorance. Prejudice, oppression, and fanaticism — these are not born from knowledge but from its absence. A society that neglects its schools builds prisons instead. A world that forgets to educate its children plants the seeds of its own destruction. Knowledge is the guardian of liberty, but ignorance is its silent assassin.

Her message calls upon leaders, parents, and citizens alike: to build schools before monuments, to value teachers more than weapons, and to see education not as an expense but as an investment in humanity’s soul. To educate a child is to build peace; to deny them that right is to perpetuate conflict. Every classroom becomes a sanctuary of hope, every book a bridge between hearts. The more we learn about one another, the less we fear one another — and the less we fear, the freer we become.

The lesson of Moza bint Nasser’s words is timeless: if humanity is to survive its divisions, it must first learn to understand itself. Education is not only the path to knowledge but the path to empathy, the foundation of every true civilization. Let us therefore fight ignorance not with anger, but with learning; not with pride, but with humility. Let us teach our children not only the sciences of the world but the science of humanity — how to live with wisdom, courage, and compassion.

For when the lamps of knowledge are lit in every home and heart, there will be no more darkness between nations. The bridges between cultures and civilizations will no longer be made of stone, but of understanding. And only then, as Moza bint Nasser foresaw, will the values of liberty, justice, and equality become not dreams, but the living law of humankind.