Vincent Hashmi: “Florian and all the other children should be told at some point that they are leaders and that the future needs them.”

Vincent Hashmi is a Swedish tenor with an international career that has taken him to stages such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin. Alongside music, he is a committed voice on various social issues, not least those concerning children’s rights. Through his work in the cultural world and his involvement in ChildX, he uses his platform to influence and create change.

When did you first hear about ChildX and what sparked your interest in the organization?
I heard about ChildX during a working dinner in London and subsequently contacted the management of ChildX to see if I could contribute in any way to strengthen their difficult task and commitment to children’s equal rights.

Is there anyone who has inspired you to want to make a difference for children?
Queen Silvia’s lifelong commitment to the inviolable right of all children to a safe and secure childhood is for me deeply inspiring and at the same time, unfortunately, a burning issue in our time of great social challenges. Alice Miller is another person I have been inspired by through reading her books on the subject of child psychology.

How has your experience with children (e.g. through family, friends, work) influenced your commitment to children’s rights?
I have had the privilege of becoming a parent myself to a wonderful boy named Florian and the thought that there are children his age (almost 3) who do not have the same loving home is an empathy-testing realization. Florian and all other children will be told at some point that they are leaders and that the future needs them. I will convey that as an ambassador for ChildX.