Queen Letizia.Photo:Carlos Alvarez/Getty
Carlos Alvarez/Getty
Queen Letiziaof Spain didn’t let a slight mishap overshadow a woman’s moment of honor.
On Tuesday, Queen Letizia, 50, attended World Day of the Red Cross and Red Crescent at the Circulo de las Bellas Artes cultural center in Madrid, Spain. The royal presented the 2023 Gold Medals of the Spanish Red Cross during an awards ceremony and rushed to lend a hand when one recipient tripped while heading to the stage.
The outletidentifiedthe woman who fell as María de los Ángeles García Antón, a senior member of the board of the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Maria quickly recovered to accept the award, and Queen Letizia appeared to share a reassuring word.
Queen Letizia is a proven pro at handling unexpected moments. Last year, the wife of King Felipe handed out an award to a womansporting the exact dressthat she was wearing, laughing off the style coincidence.
In a brief speech at the World Day of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Queen Letizia spoke about the important work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, which the Spanish Red Cross operates beneath the banner of. The larger movement is active in 192 countries, and the 263,000 volunteers of the Spanish Red Cross help over 12 million people nationally and over 13 million people internationally each year, the Royal Household of Spain said in astatement.
Queen Letizia.Carlos Alvarez/Getty
“Everyone is welcome to this day of celebration in which, at least today, we can feel that we are doing things a little better as a society,” Queen Letizia said in her speech, per theroyal household. “It is what inspires and what the Red Cross and Red Crescent have achieved 160 years ago. It is the long history of a movement that has evolved together with those it serves, supports, protects and cares for. Anyone in a situation of vulnerability, illness, need, helplessness, violence, inequality, discrimination, loneliness, or risk of marginality, finds an answer in the Red Cross, a friendly voice and an outstretched hand.”
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“Behind the Red Cross, there is an enormous effort, a collective effort of professionals, volunteers, partners, administrations, the private sector, we are all part of the Red Cross in some way. An effort for independence, humanity, neutrality, so that whoever needs it can keep walking, because at some point we all need a little help or a lot of help,” she continued. “And it is what allows us today, at least today, to celebrate those 160 years that began with a couple of apparently simple questions. How do you feel? How can I help you? Thank you.”
In addition to the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology, which is marking its 75th anniversary year, other Gold Medal winners at the ceremony were the Ukrainian Red Cross, IRB Cancer Research Team, the Reinforcement Brigades in Forest Fires andEthicmagazine.
The ceremony closed with a performance from the Los Chicos del Coro children’s choir, and Queen Letizia also posed for photos with volunteers, Minister of Health Jose Miñones and Maria del Mar Pageo, president of the Spanish Red Cross.
source: people.com
