Wednesday morning tok Crown Prince Haakon (47) take part in a virtual field visit with the Norwegian Refugee Council. Through the PC screen, he got to meet young people on the run in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon. Jan Egeland (63), Secretary General of NRC, was also present.
The purpose of the field visit was to provide an insight into the work that NRC does in the various countries, as well as to hear about how they assist them during the pandemic. One of the most important things they do is to increase knowledge about the coronavirus, how to protect themselves and prevent the spread.
– Intensely together
They do this, among other things, by providing toilets, clean water, vital food, hygiene items, a roof over their heads and helping them to be more prepared for the future.
There is no doubt that what one witnessed during the visits to the various countries is in stark contrast to the situation we have in Norway.
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Enormous contrast
When Dagbladet gets to interview the Crown Prince, who has been NRC’s high patron since 2017, he agrees with this.
– When you get down on the ground, and see how people feel, it is a huge contrast to how we live here. Now when we have the opportunity to visit it virtually as we did today, it makes an impression even if we are very far away, he tells Dagbladet.
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According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, many children and young people are now growing up in families who have lost income, who experience more hunger, homelessness and lack of school opportunities – as a result of the corona pandemic.
The impressions after seeing the conditions in the refugee camps in the mentioned countries, have made the Crown Prince think we should be grateful for how we are in Norway.
– The things we think are very challenging are of course that, but we must also have some perspective on it. After all, we are quite lucky here in Norway, Crown Prince Haakon says.
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Hoping for a nice Christmas celebration
In this country, many people these days are worried about how the corona pandemic will affect this year’s Christmas celebration, which is fast approaching.
When asked how the Crown Prince believes and hopes that the Christmas celebration will be this year, he answers:
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– I hope we get the opportunity to have a nice Christmas celebration. I have no crystal ball that allows me to see how it will be. It depends a bit on the infection situation as well, but I hope that we will be able to create a nice Christmas celebration around anyway, he says to Dagbladet.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon, on the other hand, are countries that have other concerns to deal with than Christmas.
The Crown Prince goes into more detail about the challenges to Dagbladet. He explains that it involves, among other things, a difficult security situation, that society does not function as it should, as well as conflicts in the form of many having to flee.
Read sex scenes aloud to the Crown Prince
– Then you have a financially difficult situation, the challenge with corona also comes on top of that. It is clear that this is already fragile, and there is little to go on. That is why we are talking about here, being on the ground, and the fact that NRC (refugee help, journ.anm.) Manages to be present even when it is difficult, incredibly important, says the Crown Prince.
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– Creates hope
The Crown Prince points out that international organizations such as the UN and other aid organizations do an incredibly important job.
– Among other things, by tackling young people’s everyday lives and giving them something meaningful that makes them better prepared for the future to come. For example, by teaching them a craft that they can use later, he says, adding:
The royal couple in quarantine
– I think this is important both because then they can build the future, but also because it creates hope.
Creating just the little hope, Crown Prince Haakon believes, does an incredible amount for their everyday lives and quality of life.
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