Feature Story

Her Royal Highness Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador (right) held a meeting with UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé. 1 February 2011, Geneva, Switzerland. Credit: UNAIDS/Chironi F.

UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway was in Geneva today on an official visit to UNAIDS Headquarters.

The visit was an opportunity for Her Royal Highness (HRH) to meet with UNAIDS staff and senior management to learn more about the latest developments in the response to AIDS and to be briefed on UNAIDS new strategy.

HIV prevention, human rights and gender were also discussed in a meeting with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and HRH underlined the importance of engaging young people in all aspects of the AIDS response. The Crown Princess emphasized that it isn’t enough to simply invite young people to sit at a table with “established leaders,” rather than engagement must be meaningful: “they need to be part of the decision-making process and youth led initiatives must be supported,” she said.

HRH also shared her impressions of her recent participation in the 2011 World Economic Forum in Davos, where she took part to a panel discussion on lessons learnt in the past 30 years of AIDS.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé emphasized the crucial role that advocates like HRH Crown Princess Mette- Marit play in the response to AIDS. “HRH Mette-Marit is a great role model. I am thankful for all her support in particular her very personal engagement in mobilizing young people,” he said.

The Crown Princess has been engaged in the AIDS response for more than ten years and has been supporting UNAIDS for almost five years in her role as International Goodwill Ambassador. She is particularly active in pushing the idea of a “New Generation Leadership” on the international agenda to provide young people with a platform were they have a voice.