Queen Letizia of Spain has attended her first event since the Easter mass video came to light with a swarm of media there to capture the day. Yesterday at the Headquarters of the Medical Association of Spain in Madrid, the Queen attended a conference regarding disabilities in social networks.
Her Majesty sat in the first row during the “II Seminar on Informative Treatment of Disability in Social Networks” where the President of the FAPE; the President of the “A la Par” Foundation; the President of the WTO and the Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality all gave opening remarks. Next, the report on “Informative Treatment of Disability: The Media in Social Networks” was read.
The report included a “series of recommendations to help journalism and communication professionals in general, to assess the importance of using the correct terminology and raise awareness among the public about the need to use an adequate language that favours equality and social integration,” Casa Real explained on their website.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality, Dolors Monserrat; the President of the Collegial Medical Organization, Serafín Romero; the President of the Federation of Associations of Journalists of Spain, Elsa González, and the President of the “A la Par” Foundation, Almudena Martorell.
The Queen being greeted upon arrival by those in charge of the conference. © Casa de S.M. el Rey
Later, a roundtable discussion took place under the theme “The Informative Treatment of the Disability in Social Networks.” She ended her time at the conference by holding a short meeting with the organisers and speakers of the event.
According to Casa Real regarding the organisers, “The Federation of Associations of Journalists of Spain (FAPE) and the Foundation A la Par (formerly the Carmen Pardo-Valcarce Foundation) try to raise awareness about the importance that the media exercises when it comes to preventing, detecting and helping people with disabilities, who can become very vulnerable and suffer problems of social exclusion, health, integration in the labor market and, in many cases, violence and even sexual abuse.”
As a result, they chose to make the focus of yesterday’s conference on the growing influence of social media networks on young people and society.
Spain’s El País reported that when Queen Letizia left the event, some had gathered outside to boo her as she left. People reportedly shouted at her that she was unfriendly. Her Majesty did not acknowledge those venting their frustrations.
A friend and former co-worker at CNN+ of Letizia’s Imma Aguilar recently told television programme El círculo on Wednesday that the Queen was “worried and desolate” after the spread of the video appearing to show her in a confrontation with her mother-in-law, Queen Sofía after Easter services.
Spanish newspaper El Mundo took a poll on Letizia’s comments with most Spaniards not believing her and siding with Queen Sofía. Close to 12,000 people participated with 92% of them sharing their support for King Felipe’s mother.
