Nordic Somali Youth Summit: Opening speech

Good morning, everyone!

It is great to be here with so many enthusiastic and engaged young people. Most of you from Norway – but there are also some from Denmark, from Sweden and Finland.

I would like to thank the organizers of the conference for making it become reality. NORSOMbro, Partnership for change and many others have given valuable contributions to the process.

The NORSOMbro project is a collective effort to build bridges. As young people, you have many bridges to build. Bridges from adolescence to adulthood, from education to worklife, between yourself and the greater society. The goal of the NORSOMbro project, and this conference, is to provide you with the tools, the knowledge, and the inspiration you need to cross these bridges.

I strongly believe that diversity is a fundamental resource for society. This resource is so valuable that we must continue making a real effort to develop its potential. As a multicultural society, we need different ideas, perspectives and diverse cultural knowledge in order to better understand each other and the world we all live in.

Today, you will be part of creating a Charter for Change, with clear goals for what kind of society you want to be part of. I hope the project, and the Charter itself, will allow more of your voices to be heard in the public debate.

All of you who are here today can change the world – by showing leadership – in your own life, in your local community and as world citizens.

By being here today, you show that you want to be actors of positive change. Use this day to be inspired, to learn and to share.

Good luck with your conference, and I look forward to hearing about the results.