I am excited to take this time and opportunity to wish my dear friend and fellow co-founder of Global Dignity, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, a fantastic birthday today! Birthdays come and go, but this particular man deserves — based on the amazing and mostly unheralded work that he does for and behalf of ‘others’ — to be heralded and recognized.
Most would recognize Crown Prince Haakon as the one-day-future-King of Norway, which is itself one of the most substantial and most progressive countries in the world. I recognize him as one of the most humble, grounded, thoughtful, sensitive, caring, and principal-centered people that I know.
I know the public leader most people see, but I feel as though I actually understand the private person. And while most people place their best foot forward in public, I actually believe that the private Crown Prince Haakon is an even more impressive individual. In fact, I call Crown Prince Haakon my ‘brother and friend.’
And so, on behalf of myself, the Operation HOPE and the Global Dignity partners, volunteers and associated families, I wanted to take a moment to commend my dear friend, and to thank him for his selfless service on behalf of the countless millions in the world who don’t have a voice today in the world. Happy birthday my friend. Thanks for all that you do, for others.
Let’s go…
John Hope Bryant
Background: Global Dignity was co-founded by Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland, HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and entrepreneur and philanthropic investor John Hope Bryant of the United States after meeting in and through the Forum of Young Global Leaders in Switzerland. YGL is a part of the World Economic Forum.