The King and Queen of Spain held a video conference and telephone calls at the Palace of Zarzuela today to mark the occasion of World Book Day in honour of Spain's greatest writer, Miguel de Cervantes.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey
Their Majesties held a video conference with the heads of Instituto Cervantes (IC). They were informed of the pandemic's effect on the institution and the measures underway to confront it. The IC's objectives are the promotion and teaching of the Spanish language and the dissemination of the culture of Spain and Latin America. The heads outlined that the main target has been to maintain communication with all uses of the IC. Classes are held via electronic means, expansion of services, and new web spaces have been created for communication and dissemination of the Institute's activity. All personnel have remained at their destinations, except in exceptional cases. There has been a 2,600% increase in AVE Global online courses compared to last year. The crisis has opened new opportunities for the development of virtual education that allows reaching beyond the headquarters of the IC.
The 23rd of April marks World Book Day which was established in 1995 to commemorate the death of Miguel de Cervantes. The occasion is marked in Spain with the delivery of the Cervantes Prize which honours the lifetime achievement of an outstanding writer in the Spanish language.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia preside over the annual event, which is held at the University of Alcalá in the town of Alcalá de Henares - the birthplace of Cervantes who is best known for his masterpiece, Don Quixote.
The pandemic has prevented the event going ahead this year. Their Majesties wanted to maintain meetings that would have occurred today and held telephone calls with the following; Joan Margarit, poet and architect who would have received the Cervantes Prize 2019, mayor of Alcalá de Henares, Javier Rodríguez Palacios - the local authority linked to the Cervantes Prize, Rector of the University of Alcalá, José Vicente Saz Pérez - the academic authority linked to the Cervantes Prize and the Minister of Culture José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia preside over the annual event, which is held at the University of Alcalá in the town of Alcalá de Henares - the birthplace of Cervantes who is best known for his masterpiece, Don Quixote.
The pandemic has prevented the event going ahead this year. Their Majesties wanted to maintain meetings that would have occurred today and held telephone calls with the following; Joan Margarit, poet and architect who would have received the Cervantes Prize 2019, mayor of Alcalá de Henares, Javier Rodríguez Palacios - the local authority linked to the Cervantes Prize, Rector of the University of Alcalá, José Vicente Saz Pérez - the academic authority linked to the Cervantes Prize and the Minister of Culture José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey
Below is a look back at Queen Letizia attending the Cervantes Prize ceremony. She consistently wore Felipe Varela until 2018, and then opted for a Carolina Herrera repeat in 2019.
2015
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2016
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2017
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2018
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2019
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Leonor, Princess of Asturias and her younger sister Infanta Sofia participated in the traditional reading of Don Quixote organised by the "Círculo de Bellas Artes" in its XXIV edition. It was dedicated to all the professionals who work in the front lines against COVID-19.
The young Spanish princesses also paid tribute with a heartfelt message.
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