On October 18, 2011, Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain participated in the UNICEF conference held at the Hotel Westin Palace in Madrid.  Per the official website for the royal house, Casa de Su Majestad el Rey:

During the event Her Majesty Queen Sofia was accompanied by Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Soraya Rodriguez Ramos, president of the Spanish Committee for UNICEF, Consuelo Crespo and the Board and representatives of UNICEF Spain.

 The Queen was in charge of opening the session and gave the floor in turn to the president of UNICEF, the head of UNICEF Immunization in Afghanistan, Carmen Garrigós, UNICEF Representative in Liberia, Isabel Crowley, UNICEF Representative in the Dominican Republic, Maria Jesus Conde, Secretary of State for International Cooperation and UNICEF Executive Director Spain, Paloma Escudero. After the round of speeches proceeded to the projection of an institutional video from UNICEF.

 UNICEF aims to ensure that they meet the children’s rights to health, education and protection worldwide. It is the leading international organization working to promote child rights and make real changes in the lives of millions of children. Its work is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the treaty most widely ratified human rights in the world.

 Since the end of the Spanish Civil War until the mid-1940s, Spain experienced a very difficult time. The infant mortality rate was 142 deaths per 1,000 births vivos.Debido this situation, Spain requested the assistance of UNICEF. In 1954 in New York signed an agreement between UNICEF and Spain to meet the needs of children in our country. The first aid program, the plan ASA (American Social Assistance), starts that year and is sending millions of kilos of milk powder, essential for growing children.

 On April 12, 1961, a group of people aware of the needs of children and UNICEF’s work created the Association of Friends of UNICEF, which was financed through the sale of Christmas cards. In 1964, delegations had the cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, thanks to the 240 partners of UNICEF Spain

UNICEF Spain is one of 36 national committees that contribute to the work of United Nations Fund for Children. Today, with the support of 242,000 members, along with donors, companies and public administrations. In these 50 years, UNICEF Spain has contributed more than 516 million euros to change the lives of thousands of children. source

To view photos from the conference please click here. 

Source and photo courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey