Queen Sofia in New York

Queen Sofia of Spain is in New York this week attending the activities that annually are organized by the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute.

The Spanish Institute was founded in 1954 in New York and its main aim is to promote the culture of the Spanish-speaking world in the United States. The activities organized by the Institute to carry out such a task, are focusing mainly on particular aspects of “Spanish culture, past and present, and the remarkable influence this culture has in the Americas”.

The Institution was renamed Queen Sofía Spanish Institute in November 2003 in recognition of the support given to the Institute through the years by The Queen of Spain.

Queen Sofia visited, on November 18, the exhibition “Balenciaga: Spanish Master”. This exhibition, dedicated to Spanish designer Cristobal Balenciaga (1895-1972) is organized by the Institute in collaboration with the Spanish Minister of Culture, but was originally conceived by Oscar de la Renta, Chairman of the Institute’s Board of Directors and Balenciga’s apt pupil. Showcasing more than seventy items of Balenciaga its aim is to explore the way in which the designer influenced the way of dressing of many women. The Exhibition will also presented in San Francisco from March 26 through July 4, 2011

Yesterday night, the Queen presented the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute’s Gold Medal. The Golden medals annually awarded, since 1978, to Americans and Spaniards in recognition of their contributions to the betterment of relations between the United States and Spain. The awarded with the 2010 Golden Medals were, Isak Andic, president of MANGO, the Spanish Oncologist Jose Baselga, the designer Diane von Furstenberg, the scientific Joan Massagué and the Spanish football team.

“One more year, I have the opportunity and the pleasure to present the Gold Medals of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute, which recognize and reward the work, always outstanding and deserving, of persons or institutions who have markedly encouraged and enriched the cultural, scientific, social and economic ties between the United States, Spain and Latin America,” Queen Sofia addressed.

Today Her Majesty will attend the conference and lunch organized by the Institute which will be led by Dr. Luis Aliaga, director of the pain area of Teknon Medical Center of Barcelona.

Filed under Spain
Tagged Awards, Culture, Exhibition, Official Visit, Queen Sofia of Spain, United States of America.