H.M. Drottningens tal vid mottagandet av The Global Humanitarian Ellis Island Medal of Honor

I am truly honoured to receive the Global Humanitarian Ellis Island Medal of Honor. To stand in a tradition that celebrates unity, service, and shared humanity is both humbling and deeply meaningful.

As I reflect on the legacy of Ellis Island—a historic gateway for millions of immigrants in search of hope — I am reminded of the centennial celebration in 2013. I can still picture the powerful images of children arriving hand in hand with their parents, filled with dreams of a better life. That spirit of courage and hope continues to inspire me.

Bringing hope to the vulnerable is a mission I deeply share with the Ellis Island Honor Society. This award is not mine alone. It reflects the work of many, especially those I have been privileged to work with through the World Childhood Foundation. I founded Childhood 25 years ago to protect children’s rights and to confront one of the most horrific and widespread crimes against children: sexual abuse.

Childhood must be a time of safety, joy, learning, and love. Every child has rights, enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and now also part of Swedish law. But rights mean little without action. We need strong laws, effective enforcement, engaged communities, and the private sector working together. Abuse knows no borders, and neither should our efforts to stop it.

Child sexual abuse touches every culture, every society, and every faith. Vulnerable children — those with disabilities, living in institutions, or identifying as LGBTQ are especially at risk. And yet, far too many still lack the protection, care, and dignity they deserve.

We must break the silence. Abuse is never the child’s fault. The responsibility lies with adults and institutions to listen, to act, and to protect.

Technology has become both a powerful tool and a serious threat. Artificial intelligence can help us detect abuse and bring perpetrators to justice, but it is also being used to exploit children on a global scale. Tech companies must be held accountable. The urgency is real: we must use AI to combat AI. This is not just a technology challenge. it is a moral one, rooted in children’s rights, ethics, and international cooperation.

We must act now to ensure that technology serves to protect children, not harm them.

My commitment to young people began even before I founded Childhood. In 1994, I co-founded Mentor International with the World Health Organization to help young people make healthy, drug-free choices. That vision remains just as relevant today. Mentor International works with its National Member organisations in Sweden, Germany, Latvia, USA and across the 22 Arab League countries to develop partnerships and implement programmes aimed at promoting health and well-being of young people.

My work extends beyond child protection to another deeply personal mission: improving the lives of those living with dementia. With over 55 million people affected worldwide, dementia is not only a growing health challenge but also a profound social and economic one, especially in ageing societies.

This cause has been close to my heart for more than 20 years. Since founding Silviahemmet in 1996, we have worked to raise awareness, educate caregivers and health professionals, and build a more dementia-friendly society in Sweden, Germany, Japan, and Brazil. I am proud of our partnership with the Karolinska Institutet, where we have developed specialised training for a wide range of healthcare providers.

At Silviahemmet, our work is grounded in palliative care focused on the person, not just the disease. We bring dignity and quality of life through compassion, music, conversation, and human connection. We also apply the latest research to improve nutrition and activity, inspired by important studies like the Finnish Geriatric Study.

Dear friends,

I believe that when we come together with courage and compassion, real and lasting change is possible. Whether we are protecting the rights of children or supporting those living with dementia, each of us has a role to play.

Let us act boldly guided by science, by ethics, and by the shared humanity that connects us all.

Thank you.