#365 Spain...Thanks Margarita!

The 0.78€ stamp is from 2009 Civic Values issue with the theme "Fighting against Climate Change".

The fight against climate change is one of the challenges that faces mankind and the United Nations has made an appeal to us all to change our consumer habits and reduce the CO2 footprint. The European Union is one of the international organizations committed with the environment and has implemented obligations to the member states to control green house emissions and reach the following objectives: use less polluting energy sources, use alternative means of transport, make companies responsible for an efficient use of energy and their CO2 emission without jeopardizing their competitiveness, place town planning and agriculture at the service of the environment and create favourable conditions for research and innovation.

The 0.60€ stamp is from 2008 Fauna & Flora series depicting the Dahlia which comes from Mexico where it is considered to be the national flower.

It belongs to the family of the Asteraceae, and the Dahlia genus. It was first described by Spanish botanist Francisco Hernández. The plant did not reach Europe until 1780 and it was Spanish naturist Antonio José Cavanilles who began its cultivation and named a variety of this flower, the “dalia variabilis” in homage to botanist Andreas Dahl. The Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, perennial plants. They can be a few centimeters high or as tall a one meter. The native forms are quite simple and daisy-like, but breeding has resulted in some wonderful flower forms and colours. They are planted in spring and they bloom at the beginning of the summer until late autumn. There are over 30 species and 20.000 varieties of dahlia.

The 0.31€ stamp was issued in 2008 aiming at collaborating in the eradication of gender violence and the promotion of 016, the phone number for information and help for abused women.

Despite the measures undertaken to fight gender violence, official information confirms that formal complaints on women abuse have increased in the last years and that abuse on women continues to be exercised. The 016 phone number joins the many media campaigns, awareness plans, protection measures and new laws that have been undertaken, offering information to victims as well as their families, neighbours, friends and anyone who might be in need of it. It is attended by specialised personnel 24 hours a day and leaves no traces of having being used, that is, it doesn’t appear on any invoice or on the phone screen after hanging up.

This number, besides assisting in gender violence situations, also gives information on abused women’s rights and unemployment benefits, social and economic assistance, shelter homes and specialised legal counselling. For a smooth communication, these services are available in the four national languages: Spanish, Catalonian, Galllego and Euskera as well as in English and French.