The Cuban Government has provided new scholarships for six Lao nationals to study at the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) in Havana - an institution of international prestige- and in other universities, in the specialties of Law and Philology in Spanish Language, for the academic year 2018-2019.
A cocktail to bid farewell to the scholarship awardees took place that day in Vientiane, at the Embassy of Cuba headquarters, on Tuesday evening and was attended by the Cuban Ambassador to Laos, Mr. Pablo Antonio Rodríguez Vidal toguether with the students and their relatives, representatives of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, of the Ministry of Foreing Affairs and of the Ministry of Educations and Sports of the Lao PDR, members of the directive of the Laos – Cuba Friendship Association, former Lao Ambassadors in Cuba, professionals graduated in Cuba and members of the press, among other distinguished participants.
Mrs. Sounthone Xayachak, Head of the Committee of the External Relations of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party; Mr. Phomma Khammanichanh, Director General of Europe and America Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Buakeo Phumvongsay, former Ambassador to Laos in Cuba and Director General of the Press Department of MOFA; Mr. Somkiao Kingsada, Director of International Relations of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union; Mr. Sounthone Sirisack and Dr. Sing Menorath, Vice President and Executive Secretary, respectively, of the Laos-Cuba Friendship Association and also themselves graduated in Cuban universities, were among the most important guests of the event.
The group will leave Laos for Cuba on August 27. They will first study Spanish for one year and then the ones who will study Medicine (Mr. Chandavone Keo Atsavong, Mr. ChueyeexiongYengdalavong. Miss. PacheekhaChouxue and Miss. XueXiong) will begin a six year medical degree. In the case of the two other students (Mr. Kanphana Phinsavanh, Law and Mr. Ieng Khonesavanh, Philology in Spanish Language) after study Spanish Language during one year, they will study their careers during five years.
Cuba has granted several hundreds of scholarship to Lao nationals during many years and about 145 have graduated from Cuban universities. They took degrees in Medicine, Law, Economics, Sports, Engineerings, Architecture, Veterinary Science, Spanish Language, amongst others specialties.
In his opening remarks, the Cuban Ambassador, dedicated the event to the late Cuban President Fidel Castro Ruz, the invictus Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution, whose birthday was on August 13. Fidel was who established the Latin American School of Medicine in 1998, in order to provide free education for young people of the so- called “Third World” countries from Latin American and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia and the Pacific, as well as for young and empoverished peoples from developed countries. Since then more than 27,000 doctors have graduated from ELAM, coming from 117 nations where more than 100 ethnic groups are represented. He expressed also the satisfaction of Cuba for helping although even very modestly to the Lao PDR to develop its human capital.
The Cuban Ambassador used also the opportunity to express the condolences to the Lao Gobernment and Party, and to the families of the victims after a hydropower dam collapsed in Attapeu Province.
Mrs. Sounthone Xayachak, Head of the Committee of the External Relations of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party took the floor and expressed the gratitude of the Lao Party, Government, parents and students for the scholarships received from Cuba; the compromise that the students adquire to have good results in their careers and come back to Laos as new professionals in their different specialties and can serve to their country.
Dr. Sing Menorath in the name of the Lao – Cuba Friendship Association pronounced also some words. He pointed out that it is very important to know that Cuba is a poor and developing country and it does not give what it has left, but shares what little it has, and also mentioned he as the others graduated in Cuba are very proud to have study there for the knowledges, values and good examples that their have received by the Cuban people.
Miss. PacheekhaChouxue, 17, took the floor representing the scholarship awardees. She said: “We are very happy and excited to be studying in Cuba. We have acquired the compromise to get good marks and to return to Laos as new professionals to serve the Lao people and to help develop our country and in my case, to be able to help treat Lao people. I would like to thank the Cuban government for giving us this great opportunity that we will know how to take advantage very well”.