HM The King's opening speech at Global Child Forum Action Lab: The Advantages for Business to Engage with Children’s Rights
(The spoken version shall take precedence)
Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to Global Child Forum’s first Digital Action Lab!
Her Majesty and I started Global Child Forum over 10 years ago as a platform to advance children’s rights.
We started with a series of questions, such as:
What role can business play to improve the lives of children?
How can we work together to achieve this mission?
And what tools and resources do we need?
We have been discussing these questions since the founding of Global Child Forum.
And we will continue today with even more urgency.
Everyone, everywhere, have been affected by the corona virus. Not least the children. All across the globe, it has put children’s rights under serious pressure.
That is why I am especially encouraged to see so many of you attending this first Action Lab session; the first digital meeting out of four.
As we all know, business is a driver of both economic and social change.
Regardless of sector, companies have an enormous impact on children’s lives – and that power comes with a great responsibility.
Ladies and gentlemen: Your presence here today is important.
Because to support one child, is the first step to supporting an entire generation.
Once again, a warm welcome!