Speakers
HRH Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands
Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands is social entrepreneur, writer, strategist and dialogue facilitator. Her work revolves around social innovation and intergenerational dialogue on socio-economic issues as well as sustainability. She is a passionate advocate of systemic change through human-designed solutions and emancipation of ‘unexpected experts’. In 2004, she started the Reading & Writing Foundation, which has developed over time into a team of 100 professionals working to prevent and reduce illiteracy. In 2009, she founded Missing Chapter Foundation, which facilitates dialogue between children and leaders (through the installation of Kids Councils in organisations and programmes in which children are change agents), engages in advocacy about the practical implementation of Art. 12 of the UN Convention of the Right of the Child. In 2017 she founded Number 5 Foundation, whose mission is connecting for impact on complex societal issues, through human-designed bottom-up solutions. Princess Laurentien holds a range of honorary functions in the fields of literacy, European culture and conservation. She has written several children’s books, including the Mr Finney-series. She and her husband Prince Constantijn have 3 children.