Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are heading to New York City to accept a special recognition for their mental health advocacy.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will accept Project Healthy Minds’ Humanitarians of the Year Award at the nonprofit’s World Mental Health Day Gala on Thursday, Oct. 9, in N.Y.C., PEOPLE exclusively reveals.
Prince Harry, 40, and Meghan, 44, will receive the award for their work to make the online world a safer place for families and young people, in addition to their strides to advance mental wellbeing globally.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex established The Archewell Foundation in 2020 on a mission to “show up, do good” and launched The Parent’s Network, an initiative to support families impacted by the effects of online harm, at the Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival in 2023.
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In a statement, Harry and Meghan said, “Working with families and young people to prioritize safety online has been some of the most meaningful work of our lives. As parents ourselves, we have been moved to action by the power of their stories and are honored to support them. We’re proud to be long-time partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are parents to Prince Archie, 6 and Princess Lilibet, 4, and have cited their children as an inspiration to make the online world a safer place.
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The World Mental Health Day Gala isn’t the only stop on the New York schedule for the California couple, as Harry and Meghan will also attend Project Healthy Minds’ fourth annual World Mental Health Day Festival on Friday, Oct. 10.
There, the couple’s charitable Archewell Foundation is teaming up with Project Healthy Minds to co-produce a series of conversations with change makers making a difference in the mental health sector.
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The Lost Screen Memorial that the Archwell Foundation unveiled in New York in April will also be displayed at the festival. The somber tribute honors children who lost their lives to the harms of social media, and Prince Harry and Meghan attended a private vigil at the site in the spring.
Project Healthy Minds’ upcoming World Mental Health Day Festival will also draw Deepak Chopra, Katie Couric, Boardroom co-founder Rich Kleiman, author Jonathan Haidt, parenting expert Dr. Becky Kennedy, parent activists and more.
