King Felipe presides over Carlos V European Prize awards ceremony

King Felipe of Spain has presided over the Carlos V European Prize awards ceremony.

The Carlos V European Prize is awarded by the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation in recognition of its contribution to strengthening the European project and its essential role in the participation of cities and regions in the European Union’s decision-making process. This year’s winner is the European Committee of the Regions.

The awards ceremony took place at the Monastery of San Jerónimo de Yuste, where Holy Emperor Charles V died in 1558.

Upon arrival, the King was greeted by the President of the Regional Government of Extremadura and President of the Board of Trustees of the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation, María Guardiola; the President of the Supreme Court and the General Council of the Judiciary, María Isabel Perelló; the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera; the President of the Assembly of Extremadura, Manuel Naharro; the Government Delegate in Extremadura, José Luis Quintana; the Mayor of Cuacos de Yuste, José María Hernández García; and the President of the Executive Committee of the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation, Abel Bautista.

He also greeted the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Kata Tüttő, and the Acting President of the Regional Government of Andalusia and First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, the Secretary of State for the European Union, Fernando Sampedro; the former President of the Junta de Extremadura, José Antonio Monago; academics and former award winners of the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste, and other diplomatic representatives.

During the ceremony, José Manuel García-Margallo, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, gave a speech, followed by a music performance. Afterwards, King Felipe presented the prize to the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Kata Tüttő, and to the Acting President of the Regional Government of Andalusia and First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla.

Kata Tüttő delivered a speech expressing her gratitude for the awards.

King Felipe also spoke and emphasised that “the Committee of the Regions must continue to be a meeting point between Europeans, born from the recognition and vindication of diversity through its authentic guarantee, which are the democratic constitutions of the member states within the framework of a united Europe.”