When Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon got married five years ago, they set up a humanitarian fund. This year the fund supports a Russian aids centre and The Church City Mission in Norway, while the Norwegian government awarded more than NOK 4 million to the fund.
08/09/2006 :: HRH Crown Prince Haakon and HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit's Humanitarian Fund annually supports both national and international volunteer-based humanitarian projects and the recipients are announced on the crown prince and crown princess' wedding day, 25 August.
This year's announcement took place at an event in Oslo in connection with the couple's five year anniversary. The Norwegian Minister of International Development Erik Solheim also declared that the government is donating NOK 4,666,145 (EUR 585 000, one Norwegian krone for each Norwegian citizen as of 25 August 2006, to the humanitarian fund.
"The crown prince and crown princess have been involved in humanitarian efforts both nationally and internationally for several years. It is a pleasure for the government to be able to support this important solidarity work," Solheim said.
2006 grant receivers
The republican aids centre in Karelia, Russia, is a government-run facility that works for the prevention, diagnosing and treatment of hiv/aids. Representatives from the centre travel out to the rural districts four times a year, however have so far been restricted to travelling by public transportation. With the grant from the fund the centre wishes to acquire and equip their own bus to facilitate access to more people in the districts with testing and counselling.
The Church City Mission's Primary Medical Workshop (PMV) aims to develop methods and strategies to promote health relevant in a multicultural setting. The centre's goal is to offer its participants a place to be, a place to accomplish and a place to learn. The centre is currently focusing on its child and youth group, and will use the grant to support a new youth project, including counselling and tutoring. The youth's own ideas and qualifications will fuel the project development.
Former projects and causes that have received grants are the rehabilitation of child soldiers in Congo, prevention of hiv/aids in Mozambique, and the Education through Sport project in Zambia.
The crown prince and crown princess are also involved in other humanitarian efforts, including through the UN. Crown Prince Haakon is a goodwill ambassador to UNDP, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit is a special representative for UNAIDS.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs