Prince Harry said mental health was a “very, very important subject that affects every single one of us from top to bottom, from the youngest to the oldest”.
He hailed the way young winners of the Diana Award were using their voices to bring about change, stating that his late mother would have been immensely proud of them.
The Duke also called upon governments to involve young people in their decision making processes, noting that solutions do exist.
He appeared nervous throughout the 30-minute appearance, repeatedly fiddling with his tie and jacket and shifting in his chair.
The Duke and Dr Ojo were joined on stage by two winners of the Diana Legacy Award, Christina Williams from Jamaica and Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang from Indonesia, taking turns to ask them a series of questions about their work and their hopes for the future.
“Surely one of the solutions here is for governments to implement, or at least find people – young people like yourselves – and bring them into decision making, policy-making situations, before the problems exist,” Prince Harry said.
“We’re very good at creating problems for ourselves to try and solve, but surely by bringing young people in at the early stages… surely that is where the difference is going to be made.
“Why is that not happening?”
The Duke also thanked the two award winners for “leading the charge in hopefully being able to break down the stigma” about mental health.
“So many people are looking for solutions,” he said. “And the fact of the matter is, there are solutions to all of these issues.
“I applaud you, certainly at your age, to be on this stage, to have the confidence that you do and to be able to speak as clearly and as passionately as you do.”
He added: “I know that my mum would be incredibly proud of you guys… the way that you do it, your activism, your compassion, those two things are so true to how my mum led her life and what she believed in. And the way that you do it is incredible, so thank you.”
The Duke said that the courage shown by the younger generation gave him hope.
“Every single one of us needs courage in order to really move the dial and create positive change in today’s world, probably more so now than ever,” he added.
“Now we need to listen, constantly listen, and then act on the advice and the vision that you have because otherwise it’s your future that’s being stolen from you and that is unacceptable.”
Both Prince William and Prince Harry have long supported the Diana Award, a charity set up to reflect the late Princess’s belief that young people can change the world and the only one to bear her name.
The event was the first of several for Prince Harry, who has travelled to New York without his wife, Meghan, for a series of high profile appearances covering a range of his key interests from conservation to sustainable travel and landmines on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s high level week.
He later spoke on behalf of the Halo Trust, the charity for which his late mother famously issued a clarion call for action by walking through an Angolan minefield in 1997.
During the event, which was held in partnership with the Angolan government, the Duke described how he “walked in my mother’s footsteps” through the former minefield in Huambo, in 2019.
“Where she first walked in 1997, I found a bustling, vibrant town”, he said.
Addressing the room, the royal added: “Much has changed in my life and the world since 2019 when I first visited Huambo.
“In those five years, I’ve become a father for the second time, and while you don’t need children to have a stake in the future of our planet, I do know that my mother would have been horrified that anyone’s children or grandchildren live in a world still invested with mines.”
Harry also spoke of his resolve to finish the work his mother had started for the charity almost three decades ago.
“Carrying on her legacy is a responsibility incredibly seriously”, he said”, adding: “and I think we all know how much she’d want us to finish this particular job.”
As he ended his remarks, the Duke made a touching tribute to his late mother, suggesting that once the charity’s work is complete, she would be able to “rest” knowing the mission she championed was finished.
“Let’s renew our commitments and let’s finish the job for all our sakes, so we too can look back in awe and relief, and so those who started this recovery and regeneration many years ago can rest knowing that we really did finish the job.”