For young girls, whom I meet a lot when I travel around the

The words of Helle Thorning-Schmidt — “For young girls, whom I meet a lot when I travel around the country, it will be a big thing. It will really show them that there’s no post in Denmark that a girl can’t aspire to.” — shine like a torch carried into the night. In them we hear not only the voice of one woman, but the echo of centuries of struggle, of countless daughters who longed to step into places once forbidden to them. Her words are not mere statement; they are proclamation, a banner unfurled across time declaring that the walls which confined women are falling, and that no summit is too high for them to climb.

To speak to young girls is to plant seeds in the soil of the future. They watch the world with eyes wide open, measuring not only what they are told but what they see. If they see doors closed, they learn to lower their gaze. But if they see a woman stand tall in the highest post, they learn that their own dreams may soar. Thus, Thorning-Schmidt’s words carry the power of example, the sacred duty of leaders not merely to govern, but to inspire. To say to a child, “You may” is one thing. To show them, “I did” is something far greater.

History is filled with moments where one woman’s courage became the rising tide that lifted millions. Consider the story of Joan of Arc, who, though only a girl, led armies and spoke with kings. Her deeds shattered the belief that courage belonged only to men. Or think of Golda Meir, who rose to lead Israel in the face of war, or Indira Gandhi in India, who held power in turbulent times. Their rise did not erase the struggles of women, but it cracked the iron sky above them. And so too with Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the first female Prime Minister of Denmark: her achievement became more than her own, it became the inheritance of every girl who dared to dream.

There is deep heroism in this truth: that representation itself is power. When the invisible become visible, when the excluded take their rightful place, they do not walk alone — they carry all who come after them. Each step taken by a pioneer is a path carved into stone for the next traveler. And so, as Thorning-Schmidt traveled across her country and met those young girls, she knew she was not only speaking of politics, but of destiny. She was telling them, “Your horizon is without limit. Your wings may carry you wherever you choose.”

But her words also carry a warning: the fight is not yet complete. To say “there is no post a girl cannot aspire to” is both a celebration and a challenge. For though the doors may now be open, the courage to walk through them must still be summoned. Society may give permission, but the heart must take possession. Dreams must be nurtured not only by law and politics, but by confidence, by education, by the daily encouragement of families, teachers, and communities.

The lesson, then, is this: if you would change the future, show children what is possible. Live boldly, so that your life becomes a message stronger than words. Encourage every young girl to dream without apology, to seek knowledge, to test her strength, to aim not only for what others expect but for what her soul demands. Let the barriers of doubt fall, and let every step she takes echo the truth: nothing is beyond her reach.

In practice, this means cultivating courage in the small things. Parents, tell your daughters they are capable. Teachers, give them challenges that sharpen their minds. Leaders, live as examples of integrity and strength. And every woman who has walked into new spaces — look back, extend your hand, and draw others forward. For every barrier broken, every post attained, becomes a beacon to the next generation.

So remember, child of tomorrow: when Helle Thorning-Schmidt spoke of young girls, she spoke of you. Do not bow before limits others set upon you. Aspire to every post, every dream, every summit. For the greatness of a nation, and indeed of the world, is measured not by how it holds women back, but by how it frees them to rise. And if you rise, you will not rise alone — you will carry countless others with you, as a star lifts the night sky into brilliance.