Paris, May 20. At the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the Ambassador of Cuba Maria del Carmen Herrera Caseiro met with the Assistant Director General of UNESCO for Natural Sciences, Ms. Lidia Brito, on which occasion they exchanged widely on the close relations between the Island and the international Organization, especially in the area of science.
In the cordial meeting, Mrs. Brito recognized the development of science and scientific work in Cuba, a context in which the Cuban diplomat recalled the words of the leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Ruz, when on January 15, 1960 in the speech delivered at the Academy of Sciences he expressed that the future of Cuba had to necessarily be a future of men of science.
At the same time, the representative of Cuba referred to the enormous efforts deployed by her country to advance scientific development in the midst of the difficult circumstances imposed by the US blockade, and emphasized the permanent intensification of this hostile policy and the impact particularly negative of the unjust inclusion of Cuba on the State Department's unilateral list of States supposedly sponsoring terrorism. In this context, she thanked the support and cooperation received from UNESCO.
On the other hand, both officials discussed the satisfactory progress of UNESCO cooperation projects in Cuba under the Program on Man and the Biosphere, in particular the rehabilitation of mangroves in the Guanahacabibes peninsula and the work in the reserve of the biosphere of the Sierra del Rosario.
The Assistant Director General highlighted the importance of Cuba for her Sector and its role in the Caribbean region and praised the Cuban civil defense system against natural disasters. She also highlighted the significance of the Carlos J. Finlay Prize on Microbiology awarded by Cuba. The Antillean Ambassador, for her part, expressed her willingness to deepen cooperation and reiterated her country's gratitude for UNESCO's permanent support of Cuban projects and initiatives, including the successful delivery of the Prize.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to UNESCO