Dear Stephanie and Johanan

It is the seventh time I present the Crown Princess Mary Scholarship here at the University of Copenhagen, and it is always a great pleasure to meet the worthy recipients and have the chance to hear a little about each of you and your time here in Denmark.

Congratulations on being awarded the Crown Princess Mary Scholarship for 2012.

Being committed to something and having the personal drive to pursue and reach your goals in life is something you should be very proud of.

Both of you stand out as young people who have a strong desire to make a difference and have a positive impact on other people’s lives. With your approach to life, I’m sure you already have experienced that when you get involved and give something of yourself, you more often than not receive a great deal more in return. And your impressive CVs, which also include voluntary work relevant to your academic skills, reflect your outstanding personal drive; Stephanie in the fields of public health and cultural studies and Johanan in law and business.

Stephanie, you have been a very active volunteer in the youth-run aid and development organisation, The Oaktree Foundation in Australia.  Here you led a large delegation of fellow youth, campaigning to support Australia’s commitment to the Millenium Development Goals and to increasing Australia’s foreign aid.

You have also participated in health projects, both nationally and internationally. In all of this, you draw on your academic skills and your commitment to what you believe in.

The combination of academic skills and having your heart in the right place, I am sure, will continue to take you far – both on a professional level as well personally. I wish you all the best on your exciting journey.

Johanan, your volunteer work and academic studies have brought you to Sri Lanka to develop a social business strategy to support micro financing initiatives. The knowledge you have obtained from that project have you subsequently used to support projects for your home university, especially in Southern and Southeast Asia.

You place great emphasis on how good communication skills are essential in solving difficult issues and attaining positive results. To further your skills in the discipline of communication, you have participated in negotiation competitions which I am sure have given you valuable experience.

You show an admirable commitment to using your personal and academic skills to help your peers at UTS as well as people internationally in development projects.

Stephanie and Johanan, I hope that having spent a semester in Copenhagen has added a new perspective to your already international outlook; that the academic as well as the personal experience you have had have given new knowledge and inspiration for your future endeavours.

It is with great pleasure that I formally present you with the Crown Princess Mary Scholarship.

Tillykke/Congratulations.  I wish you all the best for the remainder of your time here in Denmark and for the future.