January 25, 2023
What matters most to you when it comes to your perfect engagement? The promise of a more brilliant tomorrow, of course.
For Norwegian footballer and founder of environmental movement We Play Green, Morten Thorsby, his perfect proposal was centered around staying true to his and his partner’s sustainable lifestyles. And, finding a time that was just right to ask the question...
A passionate environmentalist, and winner of the first ever BBC green Sports Awards, Morten’s actions and choices always keep the planet in mind. So, of course something as significant as an engagement ring was no exception.
On May 15th Morten proposed to his partner Sabine in the beautiful town of Portfino, Italy, with a Skydiamond. The engagement ring, chosen for its ethical origins as much as its showstopping style, was the perfect way to mark the beginning of their lives together.
Planning the proposal
In January last year, Morten had decided he wanted to propose and started the process of getting the ring ready.
“I had been following Dale [Vince] for a while on social media because of our common environmental engagement. It was through him I got to know Skydiamond, and it immediately seemed like the perfect fit for me. Buying a sustainable, carbon negative diamond, with a completely traceable source, was a no brainer,” Morten explains.
“The process of extracting carbon from the atmosphere and turning it in to a beautiful diamond seemed too good to be true.”
Delighted with Skydiamond’s environmental and ethical ethos, matching with his own, Morten ordered a diamond two weeks later, where it later arrived in Italy in February.
“I knew [my partner] Sabine also would love the story behind it, since she is also very much into environmental protection, just finishing her master's in business and sustainability.'
"Knowing I would get questions about the origins of the diamond and the ring, I felt sure this was something she would be proud to wear,” Morten tells us.
The big day
On the 15th of May, every piece of the puzzle fell into place.
Sabine had just finished her final exam for her master’s degree and Morten had played the last home game of the season, where the team had secured a spot to stay in the league. The pair were both on a high.
That night, Morten had made a booking at the famous Splendido Belmond Hotel in Portofino, Italy. There, he reserved a table in the romantic garden that overlooked the beautiful village and the Mediterranean Sea. Roses and candles decorated the spot, and on the table sat the engagement ring.
“I placed the ring on the table and kept it simple with “Would you like to marry me?”, I think the picture tells the answer...”
More on Morten Thorsby and his environmental mission
Playing for Bundesliga side Union Berlin and for the Norway national team, Morten Thorsby is pioneering a green shift in football. Founder of independent, non-profit football movement, We Play Green, Morten saw the potential of the football family to help transition the world to more sustainable ways of living.
Around 5 billion people are football fans. By getting these people onboard for the Green Shift, this is the transition to a sustainable world whose actions align with the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), the future of the planet could be much brighter.