Following their visit to Hungary earlier this week, the couple arrived in New York to take part in Clinton Global Initiative’s fifth anniversary meeting. Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) - a forum initiated by former President Bill Clinton - sets goals to effectively confront the world’s most pressing problems in four areas; climate change, poverty, global health and education. Officially opened by the President of the Unites States Barack Obama on Thursday, the event sees the participation of more than sixty former and present heads of state, including Gro Harlem Brundtland and Kjell Magne Bondevik, and esteemed leders from business, academic, and religious communities from all over the world. This was the Crown Couple’s first CGI meeting, and the Crown Princess expressed that taking part meant a great deal to her.
In addition to taking part in the CGI meeting, Crown Prince Haakon has met with representatives from the United Nations Development Programme, for which he serves as Goodwill Ambassador. The Crown Princess on her hand met with UNAIDS, for which she serves as a special envoy. “I think it is important to stay focused on the UN Millenium Goals, where significant progress has been made. We must realize that these goals are achievable. We are well on our way in our efforts to reduce the number of people living in extreme poverty, and on route to reach the targets set for 2015”, said his Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Norway to Aftenbladet.