Prince Harry and Meghan have embarked on a tour in Colombia focused on addressing discrimination and combating cyberbullying.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in the country on Thursday at the invitation of Colombia’s Vice President, Francia Márquez, to participate in a series of events aimed at raising awareness on these critical issues, as reported by AFP.
During their visit, Prince Harry and Meghan will engage with women and youth as part of a program designed to “highlight and address the global challenges of cyberbullying, digital violence, and discrimination,” Vice President Márquez stated at a press conference.
In Bogotá, the capital city, the couple is scheduled to attend a university forum on “responsible digital futures.” Following this, they will travel to Cartagena, a historic Caribbean city, where they are expected to visit San Basilio de Palenque, a village established in the 18th century by escaped slaves.
Their tour, concluding on Sunday, will include a final stop in the city of Cali in western Colombia. According to the city’s mayor, the couple will participate in an African music festival there. Throughout their visit, Harry and Meghan will meet with young women and social leaders, as emphasized by Márquez, the first Black woman to serve as Vice President of Colombia.
Meghan, who has previously spoken out about facing racial discrimination, brings a personal connection to the themes of the tour. This visit also comes ahead of a global ministerial conference on ending violence against children, scheduled to take place in Bogotá on November 7th and 8th.
Vice President Márquez revealed that she was moved to invite the royal couple after watching the Netflix documentary series about Harry and Meghan, which deeply resonated with her, according to DPA. The six-part series, which aired shortly after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, shed light on the couple’s strained relationship with the royal family and the events leading to their decision to step back from royal duties in 2020.
Since relinquishing their official royal responsibilities, Harry and Meghan no longer undertake official foreign visits on behalf of the British government, with travel expenses previously covered by taxpayer-funded state contributions.
