LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- She is one of the world 's most likeable and photogenic leaders , has her own YouTube channel , and is determined to change the face of learning in the Middle East . Queen Rania 's down-to-earth personality has won hearts and minds all over the world . She is also , according to you , the most inspirational leader featured on CNN 's `` The Spirit of ... '' in 2008 . Thousands of CNN Web site users voted to award her the honor for her matchless energy working with Jordan 's young people , ahead of luminaries such as peace advocate Kofi Annan , activist Wangari Maathai and environmentalist James Lovelock . This is Queen Rania 's second award in as many months . In November , she was presented with the first ever YouTube Visionary Award for her bold use of the video-sharing network to discuss stereotypes about Islam and the Arab world . The channel fielded questions from young people about all aspects of Islamic culture . She could not be present to personally receive the honour at YouTube 's Live event in San Francisco , but her pop-culture-savvy pre-recorded acceptance speech showed her to be possibly the coolest queen alive . She delighted viewers with a lighthearted top-ten list of reasons for registering her own YouTube channel , which included , `` Because I did n't have enough friends on Facebook , '' and `` Because anything Queen Elizabeth can do I can do better . '' The experimental venture gained her a faithful online following , and since then the channel has become a platform for entertaining , non-hostile debate . It is exactly this willingness to set aside her royal image and interact with the public that her fans say has shown Queen Rania 's dedication to bringing about change . She first entered the international spotlight 15 years ago after marrying Abdullah II bin al-Hussein , the then future king of Jordan . In 1999 , she was proclaimed Queen , the world 's youngest at age 28 . She wasted little time in applying herself to various causes , and soon made her name as an engaging advocate for women 's rights and moderate Islam , and as a heavy investor in youth . The 38-year-old mother of four has said that she cares about her people as if they were her own children , and wants to ensure as many of them as possible get the most out of school . Queen Rania may be light-hearted in some of her approaches , but she is very serious when it comes to revitalizing education in the Middle East . She has made closing the Middle East 's `` knowledge divide '' -- the gap in knowledge that has grown as a result of people in richer countries having more access to computers , the Internet and education than those in poorer countries -- a top priority over the next few years in the hope that it will unlock the economic potential of the region 's population . Queen Rania certainly has a challenge on her hands . Earlier this year , the Arab League Educational Cultural and Scientific Organisation revealed that nearly one in three between the ages of 15 and 45 is illiterate . Alongside promoting equal rights for men and women and the importance of literacy , Queen Rania has strived to convince both the education and private sectors that existing education systems need reinvigoration . She has repeatedly called for creative instruction and explorative learning to be embraced in the classroom . In April of this year , Queen Rania launched the Madrasati ( `` My School '' ) project , which encourages Jordanians to get their neediest schools back on their feet . Under the program , communities are working with the public and private sectors to raise funds and recruit volunteers to renovate school facilities and provide school supplies and equipment . This is expected to improve the learning environment for children , and ultimately have a ripple effect on the neighborhoods where the schools are located . Queen Rania 's campaigns in various areas have helped to inspire other Middle Eastern policy-makers to see globalization in a more positive light -- a truly inspiring leader .
Queen Rania voted `` The Spirit of ... '' most inspirational leader of 2008 . In the end, it was a close race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama with both candidates receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. Queen Rania personally encourages open dialogue through her YouTube channel .