Princess Madeleine and Queen Silvia of Sweden Visit N.Y.C. for World Childhood Foundation USA

"Their tireless devotion to the cause inspires others to get involved," executive director Mary Pulido tells PEOPLE about what it's like to work with the royals

Princess Madeleine and Queen Silvia of Sweden had a mother-daughter visit to New York City for one of their closest causes — World Childhood Foundation USA.

Last week, the Queen of Sweden, 80, and her younger daughter, 42, spent several days in N.Y.C. to further the work of the organization founded by the Queen, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary year. Queen Silvia established World Childhood Foundation in 1999 as a pioneering nonprofit in the global fight against child sexual exploitation and abuse, and Princess Madeleine is also deeply involved.

During their visit to New York City (where Princess Madeleine used to live and met her husband, Christopher O'Neill), the royal mother and daughter attended an intimate dinner on Sept. 25 at the Swedish Residence, hosted by the Consul General of Sweden to New York City, H.E. Ambassador Erik Ullenhag, to commemorate the landmark anniversary of the foundation.

World Childhood has invested in over 1,300 initiatives, projects and grassroots groups around the world to date, making the world a safer place for thousands of kids in the mission to end sexual abuse, exploitation and violence against children.

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The organization maintains global offices in Sweden, Germany and Brazil, and Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine both addressed guests at the dinner in New York City.  Looking back on the progress made with sets set on a brighter future for children at risk everywhere, the Queen urged, "Still, our work is far from over. We cannot stop until every child is safe."

The following day, King Carl XVI Gustaf's wife and younger daughter honed in on this focus at the World Childhood Foundation USA's summit, "Digital Guardians: Combating Online Child Sexual Abuse." A panel at the summit convened leading experts to discuss the greatest issues challenging children's safety online today, "specifically how technology has created even more complex and prolific avenues for offenders to reach children," a statement said.

The conversation was moderated by longtime CBS anchor Jeff Glor and hosted by Childhood USA board member Daniel Flanigan and Verizon at the Polsinelli Law Firm.

At the podium, the Queen spoke about the dangers of a new frontier — artificial intelligence — in this space.

"The rapid evolution of technology has become both a shield and a weapon," the Queen said. "On the one hand, it gives us tools to protect, to educate and to connect children in ways never before possible. But on the other hand, it facilitates unimaginable harm. We have to ensure that children are safe growing up in a digital world."

Speaking to PEOPLE about what it's like to work with Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine as the World Childhood Foundation USA commemorates its 25th anniversary, the foundation's executive director Mary Pulido, PhD, said she has been "impressed and inspired" by their commitment since the start.

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"Child sexual abuse is a global epidemic that many still find difficult to discuss. Yet, for countless children, this is a daily reality — a silent public health crisis that we must confront together," Pulido says in a statement to PEOPLE.

"When I first had the privilege of meeting Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, who broke the silence by founding World Childhood Foundation 25 years ago, and her daughter Princess Madeleine, I was impressed and inspired by their deep commitment for protecting children from sexual abuse online and in person," she explains. "Their tireless devotion to the cause inspires others to get involved. They are always searching for new avenues to create partnerships to fight the evils that are facing our children every day."

"Since 1999, the World Childhood Foundation has been at the forefront of the fight to protect children, working to ensure that every child can grow up in a safe and loving environment. There are very few organizations whose sole mission is combatting child sexual abuse and exploitation," Pulido says. "Together, we can build a safer world where every child is free to explore, learn and grow without fear. Every one of us has a role to play in breaking through the silence of this crisis."

Recapping the trip on her Instagram page, Princess Madeleine revealed that she and her mother also met with Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, to speak about their shared work around protecting children in the country.

"We are not done until every child can grow up safe, free from sexual abuse and exploitation," the royal wrote.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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