Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia yesterday presided over the third Impulsa Forum, hosted by the Prince of Girona Foundation.

Don Felipe spoke about the problem of high dropout rates and the crisis youth unemployment. The foundation’s mission is geared toward youth empowerment and solving social problems.

Prince Felipe is not only Prince of Asturias, the heir to the Spanish throne, but also Prince of Girona, the customary heir to the throne of Aragon, which includes modern day Catalonia.

The Prince of Girona Foundation is an entity for good but also a vehicle of increasing Don Felipe’s profile in Catalonia, which tends to have a more republican tilt.

Prince and Princess Letizia participated in networking events, enjoyed youth performances and visited a Scratch Workshop, which follows a method developed at MIT to promote creative thinking.

The magazine Hola, which tracks the Royal Family, noted the commitment by the Prince and Princess to youth empowerment.

Their Royal Highnesses also gave out awards to young people who have made a difference in various spheres of Spanish society, including the arts and business.

Also this week, Infanta Elana presided over a meeting of Spain’s Paralympic Committee. One of the topics, of course, was the upcoming London games, the Royal Household said.

Plus, King Juan Carlos awarded 127 diplomas to military officers for training to serve in international and cooperation posts, including the NATO alliance.