The Duchess of Sussex, 44, stepped out in Geneva on Sunday, May 17, for an event debuting the Lost Screen Memorial<\/a> in Geneva’s Place des Nations, ahead of the opening of the 79th World Health Assembly.<\/p>\n She was joined there by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (whom she previously joined on a trip to Jordan<\/a> with Prince Harry<\/a> earlier this year), global health leaders and families affected by online harm to see the illumination of 50 lightboxes, each displaying the lock screen image of a child who lost their life as a result of online violence and digital harm.<\/p>\n At the ceremony, Meghan paid tribute to the children remembered in the installation and underscored the urgent need for stronger global protections for children online.<\/p>\n Meghan Markle at the inauguration of The Lost Screen Memorial in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 17, 2026 She began her speech by stating that safe online spaces are \u201cnot simply a technology issue,\u201d but a \u201cpublic health issue.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBehind me stands The Lost Screen Memorial,\u201d she continued, referencing the photos and names of 50 children who died by suicide as a result of online bullying and digital harm.<\/p>\n \u201cEach name belonged to a child who was loved beyond measure. A child whose laughter once filled a kitchen. Whose shoes once waited by a front door. Whose future once felt limitless,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cNow their faces ask the world questions we can no longer avoid: How many more millions of children will be harmed by products that, while innovative, are still designed without sufficient safeguards?\u201d Meghan asked the crowd.<\/p>\n Meghan Markle speaks at the inauguration of The Lost Screen Memorial in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 17, 2026 The Duchess of Sussex went on to compare the dangers of online spaces to other widely recognized public safety concerns, noting that governments and policymakers have long intervened to protect children in those other areas.<\/p>\n \u201cWe did not tell parents to create their own seatbelts. We did not ask children to test unsafe medicine. We did not shrug at poisoned water or defective toys and call it the price of progress,” she said. “We acted. And now the world must act again.”<\/p>\n She urged the global community to take action, stating that the threat to children and families is growing stronger by the day, especially due to the nature of artificial intelligence (AI).<\/p>\n \u201cAcross lived experience, court cases, authoritative medical and media journals, and testimony from families, a clear and urgent picture is emerging,\u201d she said. \u201cAt the same time, advancing technologies, such as AI, are not just repeating past mistakes \u2014 they are accelerating and amplifying them.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Meghan Markle at inauguration of The Lost Screen Memorial in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 17, 2026 \u201cThe risks are compounding,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Meghan concluded her speech on a note of hope, insisting that \u201cthese outcomes are not inevitable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSpeak up. Demand better from the platforms shaping our children’s lives. Be an example in your own social media use of how to be intentional in every like, comment, post, and share. Hold your community to the same standard,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She continued: \u201cSupport laws and leaders committed to child safety by design, transparency and accountability online. Write to your elected representatives. Ask what they are doing to protect children in digital spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause when enough voices refuse to accept harm as the cost of connection, change becomes inevitable,\u201d Meghan added.<\/p>\n The ‘Lost Screen Memorial’ installation in Los Angeles on Feb. 13, 2026 Amy Neville, an online child safety advocate whose son Alexander is among those in the exhibition, also addressed guests.<\/p>\n The memorial, which will be displayed in Geneva through May 22, was created by Meghan and Prince Harry’s Archewell Philanthropies, in partnership with The Parents’ Network. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex previously unveiled the exhibit in New York City in April 2025<\/a> as part of the No Child Lost to Social Media campaign.<\/p>\n There, Meghan told reporters, “These are families that we have been working with for several years. No matter how polarized the world is, or what people may or may not agree on, one thing that we can all agree on is that our children should be safe. All of our children should be safe, and I think tonight, all of these stories solidify that.”<\/p>\n Prince Harry, 41, added, “These children were not sick. Their deaths were not inevitable \u2014 they were exposed to, and in many cases were pushed harmful content online, the kind any child could encounter. No child should be exploited, groomed, or preyed upon in digital spaces. To the platforms, they may be seen as statistics. To their families, they were cherished and irreplaceable.”<\/p>\n Mental health has long been a focus of Harry and Meghan’s charitable endeavors, including raising awareness about the dangers social media can pose to young people.<\/p>\n Through their organization, Archewell Philanthropies, they have made online safety a central focus of their advocacy. That mission became increasingly urgent through the Parents’ Network, an initiative created to support families whose children have been harmed by social media platforms and to connect them with others going through similar situations.<\/p>\n Meghan Markle at the inauguration of The Lost Screen Memorial in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 17, 2026 During a discussion with young people in Australia last month, Meghan commented that she was \u201cbullied and attacked\u201d<\/a> every day for 10 years on social media and was \u201cthe most trolled person in the entire world.”<\/p>\n![\"Meghan](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_people_articles_471\/aa8b7329695a952d09342b855d56c216.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: CYRIL ZINGARO\/EPA\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n![\"Meghan](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_people_articles_471\/0f766ffb895ab7cef8dc2bcd8f4fd247.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: CYRIL ZINGARO\/EPA\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_people_articles_471\/1ea7e77c7ab5653f281d401193dd3a01.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Baz Ratner<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_people_articles_471\/4b0a63fde7d50e72bbaa6a2c434565ce.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: CYRIL ZINGARO\/EPA\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n![\"Meghan](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_people_articles_471\/941d0e394ccd3550a9ea66933851027b.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Baz Ratner<\/p>\n