Voices4Development

6 June 2007

Queen Mathilde attended the 'Voices4Development' event at Flagey in Brussels: the start of the European Development Days.

video: https://www.instagram.com/p/BVAiFyen4d-RQc5wBOuh49w3Dc5WtBdz-BDeRc0/

She pronounced a speech in English.

(...) For my part, I am particularly interested in education and health. And let us not forget mental health. The theme of this year’s European Development Days is ‘Investing in Development’. What better way to do that than by investing in decent education and healthcare for everyone? I firmly believe that without these, there can be no development. (...)

(...) During recent visits to Jordan and Laos, I was struck by what the young children I met told me. How traumatized they were by poverty, or by their fate as refugees. They desperately need mental healthcare to help them deal with these stresses. (...)

You, young people, have an important role to play here. These European Development Days are an opportunity for you to make your voices heard.

An opportunity, too, for you to make sure we hear the voices of the voiceless in your part of the world. We are eager to hear them. To hear your dreams and aspirations, your ideas for shaping a better, safer, just and prosperous world.

For the future is yours. And you have an important role to play in building it. 

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