Your Highness, Your Excellency, cultural leaders, religious leaders, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

I would like to start by saying how grateful I am that this trip to Uganda planned over a longer period by The Danish Refugee Council could be to a reality.  Sitting in Denmark reading and hearing about the situation in Uganda is very one dimensional, but being here and visiting refugee and IDP camps and hearing directly about the challenges facing these people has given me a much deeper understanding of  the complexities and hardships facing the people of Uganda.  I have no doubt that my experiences here will benefit my role as patron of the Danish Refugee Council in the future.

Although this is not my first trip to Africa, my husband and I actually honeymooned here, it is the first time I have the opportunity to meet a cultural leader, a leader who has stood as a uniting figure for the people of Northern Uganda.

During the last couple of days, as briefly mentioned I have visited both a camp for internally displaced people here in Acholi-land and a settlement for refugees in Moyo.

It has been an experience that will be with me for the rest of my life and I believe, an experience that will come to play a role in how I personally approach life.  Without first hand experience of the situation it is difficult to imagine the suffering that the people of Northern Uganda have endured.  And despite this suffering I have seen much hope, courage, a will to survive and a will to create a better life.   

And there is hope. Peace has come to both Southern Sudan and Northern Uganda in the past couple of years. People are returning to their villages and fields. The ground is being cleared, roads are being made, schools, clinics and courts are being built.  Many people are still waiting to go home. It will take a long time to heal the wounds of such a devastating conflict.

In this respect and as a Dane, I am proud of the work being carried out by the Danish Refugee Council, the Danish Government and the people of Denmark in supporting Uganda and the people of Uganda on their road to recovery and ensuring peace for the future.

It is impressive to see the diversity of organisations present here tonight; from the council of cultural leaders, to elders, religious leaders, to women’s organisations and local leaders. I sense there is a very vibrant civil society here that can help show the way to recovery and reconciliation in the future.

Thank you.