King Felipe VI presents the 2026 Princess of Girona Social Award to young Moroccan Hatim Azahri Akhnous for his work promoting integration
These awards, presented by the Princess of Girona Foundation, recognise young talent in Spain and are presented in various cities across the country as part of a tour called the 2026 Talent Tour
The opening ceremony of the 2026 Talent Tour, an initiative of the Princess of Girona Foundation, took place in the town of Sant Boi de Llobregat, where various events were held, presided over by King Felipe VI.
Princess of Girona Social Award
The highlight of this first stage of the Tour was the announcement of the 2026 Princess of Asturias Social Award, which went to Hatim Azahri Akhnous, a young Moroccan born in Nador and based in Barcelona.
Hatim is a young community leader committed to social justice, coexistence and youth participation. His life experience as a young migrant has driven him to transform experiences of inequality into collective action and community-building processes.
The young award winner sent a message of gratitude for the award: ‘Let's build bonds, let's build hope, let's build community.’
Young talent
In addition to Hatim Azahri Akhnous himself, four other young people were among the finalists for the 2026 Princess of Girona Social Award:
Diana de Arias Far, Dénia (Alicante) 1990, social entrepreneur, lecturer and creator of an innovative model that combines play, neuroscience and technology to promote the autonomy and comprehensive development of people with cognitive diversity. Her work has been recognised with more than twenty awards and distinctions, including Leading Female Entrepreneur (Emprendedores magazine), the Forbes Social Impact List and the ONCE Foundation Entrepreneurial Talent Award.
Pol Ricart Gallardo, Castell d'Aro (Girona) 1992, doctor and social entrepreneur, a leader in technological innovation applied to global health. He abandoned his clinical career in neurosurgery to devote himself fully to building MedBrain Global, an AI tool designed to provide accurate medical diagnoses even without an internet connection, adapted to contexts with scarce resources and specialised healthcare personnel.
Natalia Rodríguez Núñez-Milara, Madrid 1990, telecommunications engineer specialising in innovation and artificial intelligence and former elite athlete. Her career combines technological excellence, international leadership and a strong commitment to social impact, with a clear purpose: to put technology at the service of people and improve lives on a large scale.
Mateo Nicolás Salvatto Canle, (Buenos Aires, Argentina / Madrid), is a social entrepreneur and leader in accessible technology, based in Madrid, with an international career focused on a clear goal: to ensure that no one is excluded from the right to communicate on the grounds of disability or economic status.
King Felipe VI was accompanied by the Minister of the Presidency of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Albert Dalmau; the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts, Félix Bolaños; the Government Delegate in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, Carlos Prieto; the Mayor of Sant Boi de Llobregat, Lluïsa Moret; the President of the Princess of Girona Foundation, Francisco Belil; and the mayors of the Baix Llobregat region.
Tour of Spain
The Princess of Girona Awards have four categories (Social, Research, CreaEmpresa and Art) and this year received more than 400 nominations.
The winners are announced in different Spanish cities during a tour called Tour de talento 2026, which this year made its first stop in Sant Boi de Lobregat.
The rest of the awards will be announced until the end of May: the CreaEmpresa category in Huesca, between 23 and 27 February; the International Award, in its two categories, CreaEmpresa and Research, in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), between 23 and 27 March; Art in Granada, between 27 and 30 April; and Research in Murcia, between 25 and 29 May.
These awards, which are a benchmark for the recognition of young talent in Spain, highlight careers that inspire thousands of young people and demonstrate that innovation, creativity and social commitment are real drivers of transformation.
The 2026 Talent Tour is organised by the Princess of Girona Foundation and is promoted by TRIVU with the support of Microsoft, Davante, Clear Channel and the Banc Sabadell Foundation.