King Felipe repeated his call for dialogue, understanding and coexistence when visiting the restive autonomous community of Catalonia.
Many Catalans have been calling for independence from Spain, particularly since the financial crisis and amid corruption scandals.
“The young people who join us on stage know one cannot build a better world from egoism, fear or confrontation, and that the world of today requires collaboration and cooperation, learning to coexist, understand each other and respect each other, in increasingly diverse societies, more plural, more complex, less unanimous, but also more enriching,” the King said.
King Felipe spoke during the Princess of Girona Foundation Awards.
The heiress to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor, who is still too young to preside over such events, is not only Princess of Asturias, but also of Girona, among numerous other titles.
Girona is a city and province near the French border, and a hotbed of pro-independence sentiment.
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