On March 10th, as part of the International Women’s Day celebrations, the presentation of Cristina Morales’ third book of poems, “Mar de fons” (Sea from Below), took place, with over a hundred people in attendance.
Morales, a self-taught poetess, explained that she has maintained a very intimate relationship with the sea since childhood and that the title of the book aims to describe the injustices and pain in the world, as well as its beauty.
The author also highlighted that she writes poetry because “it serves a purpose”, and in this sense, she will dedicate the proceeds from the book sales, as she did in her two previous poetry books – ‘Flocs de vida’ in 2020 and ‘Coses que importen’ in 2021 – to the women’s literacy program of Amics del Nepal.
The book presentation also featured the participation of Mònica Pagès as a moderator; Eulàlia Nosàs, reciting some poems by Morales; and a musical performance by the Cor Xera of the Gràcia Music School, under the direction of Anaïs Vila.
Following Morales’ book presentation, an interesting round table discussion took place about the reality of women in Nepal, with the participation of Kavita Gurung, director of Amics del Nepal in Kathmandu; Manisha Gurung, a Nepalese woman living in Catalonia; Clara Garcia, director of the NGO Be Artsy, which develops projects in western Nepal focused on restoring the dignity of women; and Cristina Morales herself.
For nearly thirty minutes, various topics were discussed, including how women’s daily lives improve as a result of their literacy, opportunities to access secondary and university education, social stigma surrounding menstruation, and the dignity of women.
Undoubtedly, it was an afternoon to enjoy, be moved, reflect, and pay tribute to the women of Nepal and around the world.
