His 5-minute speech and Letizia’s proud look

An inspiring night of sharing experiences. Leonor, at the centre of photography in Girona. We saw her surrounded by her parents, Don Felipe and Doña Letizia, and her sister Sofía. The heiress was the star of the Princess of Girona Awards ceremony, which was presented at the Costa Brava Conference Centre in Lloret de Mar in the Girona town. It was held this Wednesday, 10 July.

A sky blue stage, the corporate colour of the awards and the legend Always with the young people. To “warm up”, the journalist José Yélamo, host of the gala, has launched the phrase that has become the anthem of the foundation’s family “life is today”, he said. The event began with the violin of Pablo Navarro.

It was a less dramatic ceremony than in previous years. Simpler and more concise, but full of content. The awards and the winners were placed in the centre, next to Princess Leonor. The words talent, effort, commitment and solidarity were heard a lot. We also heard concepts such as eco-anxiety, recycling, sustainability and adaptation.

Leonor prepares this speech a lot

Girona is Leonor’s appointment designed to connect with her centennial generationIt is the night of the awards that recognise the talent of young people. It is also the night in which she gives her most personal speech, the one most closely linked to training, education and work. And those first steps in the professional career and in the adult life of young people. Leonor works hard on this bilingual speech, in Spanish and Catalan.

The Royal Family has taken the stage in unison. Three steps. Letizia has sought the hand of her husband and Leonor, that of her sister. The princess has taken the floor. There have been five minutes of speech and one of applause. She began with “good night from the heart of the Costa Brava”. The heiress has recalled “the stories of Susana, Antonio, Victoria” and has mentioned the beginnings of this journey, when she was little: “I was three years old when my parents started this foundation (…) 15 years later, it is growing with strength, determination and results.” At the end, the princess has returned to her seat. Her father has congratulated her and her mother and sister have given her kisses and hugs.

The winners

The architect Antonio Espinosa de los Monteros opened the round of awards in the CreaEmpresa category. Antonio, who highlighted the challenge of access to drinking water, spoke of “patience” and “resilience”. The second to take the stage, Victoria Luengoin the Art category. “When I go on stage I feel like I’m on a roller coaster… I feel adrenaline.” And he shared something very inspiring: “The present only happens once,” he declared his love “for the most beautiful profession in the world” and he drew on the strength of Marta Graham, creator of urban dance. The coordinator of the Asertos program, the architect Daniel Millor, winner of the Social Prize, spoke of the urgency of urban vulnerability in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Ona Carbonell’s medal moment

Jaume Plensa She also participated. “You don’t choose yourself, the work chooses you. The sculpture slowly approaches you until it devours you,” she shared. One of the most applauded, the synchronized swimming athlete Ona Carbonellwho recounted her experience and her story of overcoming. “I won the silver medal in the world championship,” she recalled. She highlighted two things about sport “as a tool for social cohesion” and for “the ability to change the world.” And she nostalgically showed off her swimsuit that won her the medal. She recalled the advice of a teacher: “The good ones complain and the best ones adapt.” Another mention of the word adaptation. “Because adapting – she said – is growing.” And she concluded: “Failure is part of success.”

Leonor took the floor in Lloret de Mar in a bilingual speech in Spanish and Catalan that lasted five minutes. This town in the province of Girona has hosted these awards, after the anomaly of avoiding the gala in Girona capital since 2018, after the plenary session of the City Council declared Don Felipe persona non grata the previous year. This edition of the awards that bear her name is special for Leonor for two reasons. It is the first time that the heiress has presented the awards being of legal age and she does so at the 15th anniversary ceremony.