HRH The Duke of Edinburgh will visit Geneva from 7–9 September to support The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and highlight the importance of Human Skills for young people in a rapidly changing world.
As Chair and Patron of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, His Royal Highness will undertake a series of engagements connected to the Award, alongside a wider programme organised by the UK Mission to the United Nations and the British Embassy in Switzerland. The visit will bring together senior leaders from international organisations, sport, education, government and business to explore how young people can be supported to develop the skills, confidence and resilience they need for life and work.
During the visit, His Royal Highness will meet Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, where discussions are expected to focus on the relationship between digital transformation, inclusion and the human capabilities young people need to navigate technological change. The International Telecommunication Union is the United Nations specialised agency for telecommunications and digital technologies.
The Duke will also meet UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, alongside a delegation including Manchester City and West Ham United, both of which deliver the Award. The engagement will recognise the role that sport and football clubs can play in helping young people develop confidence, teamwork, leadership and a sense of purpose beyond the classroom.
The programme will include meetings with senior Swiss decision-makers and companies that support the Award, as well as a roundtable on Human Skills in the age of AI with senior representatives from international organisations. The discussion will explore why qualities such as judgement, responsibility, agency, collaboration and resilience are becoming increasingly important as technology reshapes how people learn, work and contribute to society.
His Royal Highness will also visit a school delivering the Award, meeting young people and educators who are using the Award framework to build practical skills and personal confidence. The visit will provide an opportunity to showcase the Award to other schools interested in delivering it, helping more young people in Switzerland access a globally recognised framework for non-formal education and personal development.
The Geneva visit comes as the Award marks its 70th year. Since 1956, the Award has helped millions of young people build confidence, resilience and skills that last a lifetime. Today, as young people face a world shaped by rapid technological, economic and social change, the Award’s mission remains as relevant as ever: to ensure every young person has the opportunity to discover what they are capable of and contribute positively to their communities.
Across the three-day visit, the Duke’s engagements will underline the Award’s growing global role in helping young people develop Human Skills: the foundational capabilities that enable people to act with purpose, work with others, make good decisions and keep going when faced with challenge.
