Prince Harry kicked off his solo trip to NYC on Sept. 23 by keeping his late mother, Princess Diana, close to his heart. The Duke of Sussex joined Tessy Ojo, CEO of The Diana Award, at the Concordia Global Summit for a session titled "The Global Mental Health Crisis Among Young People"—and he praised the next generation for giving him "hope."
The Diana Award, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, was created to recognize young leaders who embody the spirit of Diana, Princess of Wales.
"I know my mum would be incredibly proud of you guys," Prince Harry said, speaking to two recipients of the charity's Legacy Award, Christina Williams of Jamaica and Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang from Indonesia.
"Your activism and passion, those two things are so true to how my mum led her life and what she believed in," he added during the panel discussion.
The two young women joined the duke to discuss the biggest problems impacting young people today, citing issues such as climate change and "peace and security" as some of the things they worry about the most.
"Scared children cannot dream," Williams told the Duke of Sussex.
Prince Harry—who praised the "army of activists" The Diana Award has worked with over the years—asked the women if they felt they were "being heard" by global leaders, wondering why young change makers aren't being brought "into decision making" or "policy making situations."
He also praised young people for their energy and commitment to making change.
"I've said it years ago and I'll say it again. The younger generation are—not putting too much pressure on you guys—you are what give me hope," the duke said, adding, "The courage that you have gives me hope."
He ended the session by thanking the Legacy Award winners for giving hope to himself "and probably a whole lot of people in this room."
"And now we need to listen — constantly listen — and then act on the advice and the vision that you have, because otherwise it's your future that's being stolen from you, and that is unacceptable," Harry ended his remarks.
The Duke of Sussex and his brother, Prince William, have both supported The Diana Award through the years, with Prince William giving a speech at the charity's anniversary event in March and Harry calling in from his home in California.
The Duke of Sussex will continue his first day in NYC by honoring another organization with ties to his late mother. He'll speak at a reception for The Halo Trust, the landmine clearance charity Princess Diana famously supported shortly before her 1997 death.
