Schools participating in this project:

St Thomas More College, Marsaskala St Anne Primary, Marsaskala, Malta (Bryndis Mercieca and Romina Formosa)

Kindergarten Spilia, Crete, Greece (Eleni Farsari)

Kolymbari Kindergarten, Crete, Greece (Roxani Papaderaki, Antonia Anagnostaki, Dimitra Nakou)

15th KINDERGARTEN  Patras, Greece (Georgia Pagania)

Cumhuriyet Ortaokulu İzmir-TÜRKİYE (Seda SERT GÜDE)

Nene Hatun Anaokulu Samsun-TÜRKİYE (Pınar TEMİZ)

Grădinița cu PP "Mămăruța", Cluj-Napoca, Romania (Veres Iuliana)

Grădinița cu PP ”Micul Prinț” Cluj-Napoca, Romania (Ramona Nădejde)

CEIP Plurilingüe Xuño, Galicia, Spain (Paula Fernández)

One morning, Lumi arrived at the kindergarten in Spilia, on the island of Crete in Greece. He quietly entered the classroom and looked around with curiosity. The children were gathered around big tables, holding eggs and bowls filled with red dye. “Hello!” said Lumi with a gentle sparkle. “What are you doing?” The children smiled and welcomed their tiny glowing visitor. “Lumi, Easter is coming soon in Greece,” they told him. “We have a special tradition with red eggs.” First, the children carefully dyed the eggs a bright red color. They explained that red eggs are an important Easter symbol and part of a tradition that families share every year. After the eggs dried, the children gathered in a circle. Each child held a red egg in their hands. “Now we will play the egg tapping game!” they said.

Two children gently tapped their eggs together, saying, “Happy Easter!” The egg that remained unbroken was the winner. Lumi laughed and clapped his tiny glowing hands. He loved this joyful tradition. The children gave Lumi a small red egg to take with him on his journey. “This will be the first treasure for my Book of Creativity,” Lumi said, as he continued his magical journey.

Kolymbari Kindergarten

Roxani Papaderaki

Antonia Anagnostaki

Dimitra Nakou

Today, a little traveler visited our school for the first time — the 15th Kindergarten of Patras, in Greece.  Our hero’s name was Lumi.  He was a friend of Crea, the mascot of our kindergarten — a beautiful pink heart created for the iCreate project. Lumi was carrying a small suitcase filled with paints, brushes, and art materials. Crea was very happy to welcome him to Patras, Greece, and the children approached him with great curiosity.

Crea introduced him to us. “Lumi, where are you from?” the children asked.

Lumi smiled and replied: “I come from the beautiful island of Crete!”

“There, I met children from Spilia Kindergarten and Kolymbari Kindergarten. Together, we learned how to dye red eggs, make delicious Lazarakia, and sing the Lazarus carols!”

The children, excited, asked him: “How did you get here? By ship? By plane?” 

Lumi laughed and said: “No! I traveled with a swallow!”  The children opened their eyes wide in amazement!  Then, they decided to teach Lumi a beautiful Greek spring tradition. They told him about Chelidonismata, the traditional spring carols.

Lumi noticed that the children were wearing white and red bracelets on their wrists.

— “What are those?” he asked.

The children explained:

— “These are ‘Martakia.’ We wear them in March to protect us from the spring sun.”

Then they told him more about the Chelidonismata:

— “In spring, we sing the spring carols and hold decorated swallows with ribbons and flowers.”

Lumi was amazed by everything he learned.

Before leaving, he said to the children:

— “I promise that on my next journey, I will take all these beautiful traditions with me and share them with other children in other parts of the world.”

Bye -Bye Stroumpeiakia....bye bye Mrs Georgia.

The children smiled and waved goodbye.

And the little swallow flew high up into the sky once again, taking Lumi and the beautiful stories of Greece along with it.

It rises high into the sky and begins its “Swallow Flight” over the Aegean Sea, heading toward ....…İzmir.

And Lumi’s journey continues…

The swallow has come, it has arrived.

Another little swallow has come as well. 

It sat down, it sang, and chirped so sweetly.

Dear March, my lovely March, and my harsh February,

Even if it snows, even if you are cold,

Spring will bloom again.

Seda SERT GÜDE

CUMHURİYET ORTAOKULU

İZMİR TÜRKİYE

The warm breeze of Izmir carried the fresh air of spring to their classroom. The children, excitedly, gathered around the window, their tiny potted plants, sorted and prepared for Forest Week. Just then, a cheerful chirping echoed in the sky.

A swallow, arriving from afar, glided down across the clear blue sky towards the schoolyard. But this was no ordinary flight; at the tip of its wing was a tiny beam of sunlight. The swallow approached the open window, gently tilted its wing, and landed on a fresh leaf of a sapling, a spot where one could choose from a few options.

The children watched, holding their breath. The beam of light changed shape, and their curious eyes turned to Lumi, who had a tiny backpack on her back!

Lumi gently brushed the dust off herself and smiled, saying:

"Hello friends! I've been greeted with lots of love and interesting stories in the land of Greece. I've been in a long house with my swallow friend, the harbinger of good news. I heard that here in Turkey you are establishing new forests, protecting the awakening of nature. I'm ready to discover with you how the country awakens and how its forests reach the sky!" Every child in her class understood that with Lumi's magical developments, spring brought not only flowers but also a new friend. Now it was time to explore the magnificent science of nature together.As soon as Lumi settled into the classroom, she placed her tiny, neat bag on the table. A small, smooth, brown seed was revealed. The children surrounded it with curiosity.

"Friends," Lumi said excitedly, "this isn't just a little seed, it's an energy packet containing the dream of a whole tree! But its awakening depends on our help."

Lumi, along with the children, headed towards a safe or sunny corner. She hid the seed she was holding and was asked:

"What 'superpowers' do you think this seed needs to come to life and grow into a seedling? The warmth of the sun, the coolness of the water, or the gentle embrace of a mature plant?"

The children shouted in unison, "All of them!" Under Lumi's guidance, tiny hands dug a small hole in the soil. With the precision of an engineer, Lumi explained that the seed shouldn't be planted too deep or too far out: "It has to be just right, like the foundation of a building!" When the seed takes root, people can make their first progress. Lumi leaned against the wall and walked over: "Shhh, it looks like... The seed is getting ready to awaken! Let's see what surprises it will bring us?"

That day, the child hadn't just planted a seed; together with Lumi, they had taken that magnificent first step, patiently expending time with nature.

Under the warm sun of Izmir, the seed planted by Lumi and the children cracked the air and stretched its first green leaf towards the sky. There was a great festive atmosphere in the classroom! Lumi, whose tiny sprouts had begun to emerge, started packing things into her bag.

"Friends," Lumi said, her voice both excited and slightly farewell. "Here we learned together about the birth of nature, how a seed comes to life. But now, I need to carry this spring joy to another corner of Türkiye, to that beautiful city greeted by the Bandırma Ferry, Samsun!"

The children were surprised. Lumi pulled out a small, shiny compass from her pocket, the kind that helps with directions in windy weather. "There's a kindergarten waiting for me in Samsun, and new experiences to discover. I want to discover a miracle with my friends there," she added.

Just then, a familiar friend landed on the window sill. It was the graceful swallow that had come to Lumi! The swallow flapped its wings as if to say, "Come on Lumi, we have a long journey ahead, the cool winds of the Black Sea await us!"

Lumi waved goodbye to her friends in Izmir one last time and clung to the soft wings of a swallow. She whispered something into the ears of those soaring into the sky: "Keep following nature, I'll send you news from your friends in Samsun!"They vanished, a fleeting sight gliding across the blue sky.

     Lumi'nin yolculuğu Ege'nin ılık rüzgarlarından Karadeniz'in çalkantılı ama kucaklayıcı serinliğine uzanıyor. İzmir'den geliyordu Lumi, bir kırlangıç kanadı gibi süzülerek, bir zamanlar Bandırma Feribotu'nun dayanıklılık tarihi şehir Samsun'a varıyor. Lumi Samsun'a adımını atar atmaz, Nene Hatun Anaokulu'nun saklandığın harika bir koku yükseliyor. Kokuyu takip ederek, bahçedeki okullarda toplanmış, meşhur Samsun pidesini (bir çeşit yassı ekmeği) paylaşan çocuklar buluyor.

"      Hoş geldin Lumi! Karadeniz'in neşesine katıl!" diye bağırdılar.

      Hepsi el ele tutuşarak bir daire oluşturdular. Lumi, çocuklarla birlikte canlı bir horon (geleneksel bir Karadeniz dansı) yapmaya başladı. Etrafında dönerken, çantasındaki sihirli toz etrafa saçıldı ve hava Karadeniz'in bereketli yağmurlarının taze kokusuyla doldu. Lumi, Samsun'un bu neslinin enerjisini ve işleyişini "Yaratıcılık Kitabı"nın renkli sayfalarına kaydetti.

Lumi, waving goodbye to the fertile lands of Samsun, the Onur Monument, and the exuberant waves of the Black Sea, rose into the sky once more on the wings of the swallow. In her bag, she carried not only the joy of Izmir and the tales of Greece, but now also the courage and history of Samsun.  Her destination was Romania, with its deep-rooted history and mysterious nature on the other side of the Black Sea.

    After a long journey across the Black Sea, Lumi arrived in Romania. 

The swallow brought her to a joyful place - the “Mămăruța” Kindergarten in Cluj-Napoca, Romania to the Hungarian Little Bees group.

It was Holy Week, and the children were preparing for Easter.

- “Welcome, Lumi!” - they said happily.

They placed onion skins in a pot of water and carefully added the eggs. Some children placed small leaves on them to create beautiful patterns. After boiling, the eggs turned into wonderful natural colors.

- "What are you doing?” she asked curiously.
 -"We are dyeing eggs, but in a special way!” the children replied.

- "How beautiful they are!” said Lumi.

Then the children rubbed the eggs with small pieces of bacon to make them shiny.

Next, they began preparing a traditional dessert: beigli with walnut and poppy seed filling. They rolled out the dough, added the sweet filling, and carefully rolled it up.
“- Mmm, it smells so good!” Lumi said excitedly.

The next day, the children explained to Lumi a special Easter tradition called “locsolás” (sprinkling), known in Hungarian culture and in many regions of Transylvania. 

- Today is the sprinkling day!” the children told her.

- "How wonderful!” said Lumi. “What does it mean?”

- "The boys visit girls and sprinkle them with water or perfume, as a symbol of health, luck, and freshness. Before doing so, the boys say a short poem or greeting, and the girls give them decorated eggs and sweets in return.”

Before leaving, the children gave Lumi a painted egg dyed with onion skins.
 - "Thank you! I will carry your beautiful traditions with me!” Lumi said.

The swallow came to the window again, and Lumi said goodbye, continuing her journey while carrying the magic of these traditions.

Lumi laughed:
 - "I want to try too!”

And she  joined the children, happily taking part in the tradition.

    With a heart full of curiosity, Lumi continued the journey in Romania. There, in a cheerful place called “The Little Prince” Kindergarten, she met smiling children who were learning about a very special flower, Romanian National Flower. 

- “What beautiful flower is this?” Lumi asked, looking at a drawing full of soft pink petals.

- “It’s the Romanian peony!” the children replied. “It’s a special flower that represents beauty, joy, and love.”

Their teacher told them a story: that the peony grows with care and patience, and when it blooms, it brings smiles and light into people’s hearts.

Lumi was enchanted.

- “I would love to carry this story further!” she said.

The children gave her a few peony bulbs—small and quiet, but full of magic.

- “Take good care of them,” they said. “And tell other children about our friendship!”

Lumi carefully placed them in her magical bag, next to her paints and brushes.

Then she said goodbye and continued her journey.

Wherever she went, Lumi planted a peony bulb and shared the story from Romania—about friendship, learning, and the joy of sharing beautiful things.

And wherever a peony bloomed, a warm memory grew too, about Lumi and her friends from “The Little Prince” Kindergarten.

And Lumi? She always smiled, because she knew the world becomes more beautiful when we share stories and flowers.

Lumi gathered peony bulbs in her bag, feeling the warmth of friendship in Romania. The swallow came down from the windowsill again, signaling that a new, very special destination awaited her.

Thus, Lumi arrived in the heart of the city of Voluntari, at the Gymnasium School No. 3, where joy could be heard from afar. The little ones from the Bunnies Large Group, with cardboard ears on their heads and hands full of glitter, were waiting for her with bated breath.

As soon as Lumi entered the classroom, the children shouted in chorus: "Welcome, Lumi!".

The "Bunnies" prepared a fairy-tale-like welcome for her. They showed her the "Love Corner", a corner in the schoolyard specially arranged for her, with natural and ecological materials.

“Lumi,” the children said in chorus, “we learned about traditions from all over the world through you, but now we want to show you how we celebrate here, at Voluntari!”

The Bunnies showed her how they paint eggs with traditional Romanian motifs and how they prepare fluffy “Pasca” with sweet cheese and raisins.

Lumi and the Bunnies group learned that although languages and sweets are different, the joy of spring and Easter is the same all over the world: an open heart and a child’s smile.

Her next destination is beautiful and warm Spain.