Prince William announced the winners of the fifth annual Earthshot Prize at the ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.
The Prince of Wales opened his speech with a warm greeting in Portuguese and thanked the Brazilian people for their hospitality.
The future king reflected on launching the award in 2020 with the aim of making this decade one of positive change for the planet.
Highlighting the winners’ hard work and innovative ideas, he said their efforts show that real progress is possible and called them “the world’s true action heroes.”
“Good evening and welcome,” William began his speech. “We are delighted to have you join us for the fifth annual Earthshot Prize Ceremony in the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro.”
“I would like to start by thanking you for the incredibly warm welcome I received this week,” continued Kate Middleton’s husband.
“When I founded the Earthshot Prize in 2020, we had a ten-year goal to make this the decade in which we transform our world for the better. It was a mission driven by the kind of extraordinary optimism we felt here tonight from these innovators,” he added.
“Their work is the proof we need that progress is possible,” he said. “Their stories are an inspiration that gives us courage, and we can learn much from their determination and grand vision, as well as their unwavering belief that we can create a better world.”
“It’s no exaggeration to say that they are the world’s true action heroes.”
