H.M. Drottningens avslutningstal vid Global Child Forum Partner Advisory Board

Shall I tell you how everything started?

Some years ago, I witnessed an extraordinary session in a little city in Germany. The mayor had invited a school class to the city hall and asked the politicians to stay with us. They were divided in little teams for a competition about children’s rights. To my delight, the children won this competition. A senior politician thanked the children by saying “Now, we grown-ups need to go home and do our homework about children’s rights”.

Yes, the politicians, but what about teachers and parents? How much do they know about children’s rights?

The Convention on the Rights of the Child – is it a wonderful sheet of paper only, or is it written in the minds and hearts of the people?

His Majesty, a Super Boy Scout, asked the same question: “How much do the Scouts know about children’s rights?”

We opened the palace for the first seminar in Stockholm. Together with Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine, we received five hundred guests: politicians, media, industry, humanitarian organizations, the children’s ombudsman et cetera.

They could not stop discussing the most important issue: children’s rights. It was wonderful to see.

And then came Ulf!

Dear Ulf, you raised the level of our enthusiasm, responsibility and awareness. You brought Global Child Forum out into the world; to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Pretoria, Kuala Lumpur and South America.

You can’t imagine how exciting it was to see Princess Haya speaking so strongly about children’s rights. Sheikah Fatima bint Mubarak starting her Motherhood and Childhood Foundation in Abu Dhabi. Dr. Graça Machel and Princess Sophia speaking so openly in Pretoria. The Brazilian president signing a new law of protection during our seminar in Sao Paolo in the presence of several South American representatives. And to hear in a Childhood Session in the UN earlier this year the first lady of Malaysia announcing a new law of protection. Thailand has changed the law of protection this year and soon, I am sure, many other countries will follow.

You have done a tremendous job, Ulf. You recognized the strength and power that lies in the hand of enterprises to have global impact on the state of children’s rights.

You have the conviction to encourage and convince the leading companies about their share of responsibility and how to become a good company.

Dear friends of Global Child Forum,

You have all been wonderful. You understood how important you and your enterprises are, to help change children’s situation in the world! You have been generous sharing your knowledge with us and generous by supporting Global Child Forum financially the way you did!

Our warmest “thank you” to you all, to the excellent team of Global Child Forum and especially to you, Ulf! Thank you, for your much appreciated work during these past years.