#Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Urge Everyone To Support Ukraine While Accepting NAACP President’s Award

As the devastating attack in Ukraine continued, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took a moment to vocalize their support for the country once again while accepting an award over the weekend.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday night, where they were honored with the President’s Award for special achievement and distinguished public service. It recognized their work through the Archewell Foundation, including their support in tackling the coronavirus pandemic and attention to the Black Lives Matter movement and fighting for racial justice.

Harry and Meghan began their acceptance speech by acknowledging the people of Ukraine and urging everyone to support them amid Russia’s invasion. The 37-year-old royal also expressed his appreciation for not only the award, but to the Black community for welcoming him, saying:

“Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community. I also echo the immense gratitude for tonight, both for this award and this community for welcoming me so warmly. I think it’s safe to say that I come from a very different background from my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason. We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to combat injustice and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to.”

Related: Prince William & Kate Middleton ‘Stand’ With ‘All Of Ukraine’s People’ Amid Russian Invasion

The former actress then said she could not be prouder of all of the philanthropic work she and Harry have done together so far:

“We moved to California, my home state, shortly before the murder of George Floyd. For Black America, those nine minutes and 29 seconds transcended time, invoking centuries of our unhealed wounds. In the months that followed, as my husband and I spoke with the civil rights community, we committed ourselves and our organization, Archewell, to illuminating those who are advancing racial justice and progress.”

The couple also revealed they partnered with the NAACP for a new annual award, the NAACP Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, which recognizes leaders creating transformation change at the intersection of social justice and technology. The first award was presented to Dr. Safiya Noble, the co-founder of the UCLA Center For Critical Internet Inquiry, an author, and advocate. Meghan and Harry closed out their speech by emphasizing the importance of speaking out for what is right and marching for what’s just. The prince said:

“Safiya’s work speaks to a new chapter in the movement for civil rights. This community knows what it means to speak up for what is right and to march for what is just. As this fight for justice still remains, it’s time to extend this march to the world online, a place where hate and discrimination are fueled instantly, propagated globally and felt deeply.”

Meghan then added:

“This is the era of the digital justice movement. We are proud to partner with the NAACP and each of you to translate the vital efforts of those who came before us to the modern challenges that exist ahead of us. Thank you so much for joining us in this work, and thank you again for this incredible honor. Truly.”

It is truly heartbreaking and horrifying what is happening in Ukraine right now, and we are continuing to keep everyone suffering from this attack in our thoughts. Reactions to Meghan and Harry’s speech? Let us know in the comments.

[Image via WENN/Avalon]