The Surinamese community in the Netherlands participates in Grandparents Day. Writer and figurehead of the Surinamese community Max Sordam will organize the activities. He does this together with Norman van Gom. Van Gom is the face of the Multicolored Amsterdam Radio and Television (MART) in Amsterdam Southeast.
Sordam is also active for the radio station, which has listeners all over the world. A flower arranging workshop will take place on 2 and 3 October in the meeting center in Mart’s radio studio. Surinamese children make flower arrangements for their grandparents. Grandfathers and grandmothers play a major role in Surinamese culture, Charles Lansdorp knows. He was recently a guest on radio mArt.
Surinamese see grandfathers and grandmothers as guardian angels of the grandchildren, even if the grandparents are no longer alive. Many grandparents raise their grandchildren. “If you can spoil the grandparents, that’s great. We fully support that,” said Sordam.
Clarence Seedorf
Lansdorp, who has lived in Italy for 20 years, is the founder of the holiday. Grandparents’ Day has been a public holiday in Italy since 2005. More and more countries are celebrating Grandparents Day. In addition to the Netherlands and Italy, these include Germany and Slovenia. On Grandparents Day, children express their appreciation for their grandparents by giving flowers and plants.
Sordam celebrated his 95th birthday on Monday. In the radio studio, grower Arie van den Berg of Van den Berg Roses surprised the nestor with a bunch of Clarence Seedorf roses. Former top football player Seedorf is a hero for the Surinamese.
Click here for a free subscription to Floribusiness magazine.
