'A rose for love and a book forever'

There's another link to the chain of understanding and cultural exchange that extends between India and Spain. Today is celebrated as St George's Day in many countries in Europe, and some regions of Spain, for which hundreds of roses have travelled all the way from Mumbai.


St George was a Roman soldier and priest who died on April 23, 303. Venerated as a Christian martyr, he is the patron saint of many regions and cities, who all celebrate this day in different ways.
In Catalonia (a region of Spain) this day is celebrated like Valentine's Day, when loved ones exchange gifts. The tradition is to give men books and women roses, so there will be stalls everywhere selling books and roses to people.
Mumbai Smiles too has a stall, where our team in Spain will be selling cloth roses, made by slum women in Mumbai. Through an agreement with our partner NGO, Creative Handicrafts, which runs tailoring cooperatives with slum women, 500 roses were shipped out to Barcelona for this special day.


Isn't that wonderful that it's possible for women in Mumbai to create beautiful gifts for a celebration in Spain?

P.S: Today is also World Book Day, so happy reading!