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Thousands of Flowers for the Elderly   versione testuale
An abundance of lilies and daisies colorfully brightened up the celebration of the grandparents


An impressive floor of flowers adorning the area of the altar on Sunday, September 28th, welcomed the grandparents and elders gathered in St. Peter's Square for the meeting with the Holy Father. The hundreds of white and yellow flowers—offered by the "Felini Foundation," which has always been in the forefront to promote a closer bond between generations through art exhibitions focused on music and dancing—had a symbolic meaning.
 
"In fact—explained the foundation—there were 500 white Avalanche roses, 500 yellow lilies, 250 white daisies and 250 yellow ones. These flowers symbolize the great value of the elderly and of grandparents. The white Avalanche rose represents love and dedication. The lily is the flower of Mary, guardian of the family. The daisy symbolizes the truth, in other words the values that are truly important in life. White and yellow are, on the other hand, the colors of the Vatican."
The "Felini Foundation", also known as "I Felini di Tanja Kok", is a foundation that aims to communicate through art—to both adults and children—messages of respect, courage and joy. However, it is first and foremost a project created thanks to the encounter, in 2006, of a group of young artists from a music school in Varese ("I Felini", led by the dancer and teacher Tanja Kok) with the Dutch football player Clarence Seedorf. The latter was actually the one who asked them to work with his foundation "Champions for Children" to incarnate the principles of solidarity that have always inspired it. Having become the "Feline Foundation" in 2009, Tanja Kok’s artists, all boys and girls, are now present with their creative performances in many European countries. The proceeds of these performances go to help other children around the world, by supporting educational projects through the construction of schools and sports centers.
This experience was in a certain way prepared by the great idea, to be noted, that in 1998 inspired Charles Lansdorp—one of the creators of the foundation that he currently chairs—to promote the feast of grandparents, celebrated since then in different countries around the world on October 2nd, feast of the Holy guardian Angels.
 
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