HM The King's speech at the opening of the exhibition "The Nobel Prize - Ideas Changing the World"

Ladies and gentlemen,

Ideas can change the world!

We are reminded of this every year in December, when scientists, authors and peace advocates receive their Nobel Prizes in Stockholm and Oslo.

Nobel Laureates are well recognized for their ideas. To use Alfred Nobel's own words, they have worked to confer “the greatest benefit on mankind".

And, in fact, this description applied to Nobel himself. His work was a constant quest to investigate and to improve. These efforts led to the establishment of companies all around the world, including here in Brazil, where he built one of his many factories.

Many other Swedish companies have followed in Nobel's example in Brazil. Today, Swedish-Brazilian cooperation includes both industrial and academic exchanges. With this in mind, it is truly a pleasure to be able to inaugurate an exhibition that tells the story of the Nobel Prize: an award that unites the academic world.

This exhibition “The Nobel Prize - Ideas Changing the World" shows the very clear effect the Nobel Prize has had on our everyday lives.

Indeed, discoveries from throughout the Prize's history have resulted in lifesaving medicines and technologies that we now benefit from in our daily lives. Ideas also develop into works of literature and drive peace initiatives forward. Without doubt: working to confer the greatest benefit on mankind will always be important.

So, with great pleasure, I hereby declare this exhibition open!

Thank you!