Melbourne, July 29-30, 2023. Reports, accounts, resolutions, joys and much love for the Pearl of the Caribbean were experienced during these days when more than fifty delegates from Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Albury-Woodonga and Melbourne, gathered at the building of the territorial Maritime Union. They also witnessed the presentations of PhD. Mrs.Tanieris Diéguez La O, the Cuban ambassador to the southern nation, MsC Marianniz Díaz Hernández, a young scientist laureate for her contributions to the development of Cuban vaccines against Covid-19 and cancer treatment, and Iván Barreto, an official from the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples in the Directorate of Asia and Oceania.
The activities on Saturday 29th included an ancestral ceremony of the Australian aborigines, with which the participants were welcomed to the event.
Maree Dellora, the president of the ACFS of Melbourne was in charge of the opening remarks and then introduced the ambassador PhD. Mrs.Tanieris Dieguez La O, who thanked the work carried out in favour of Cuba by men and women from different parts of the world who are members of the ACFS.
Mrs. Dieguez La O made reference to the situation that Cuba is facing, aggravated after the 243 sanctions imposed by Donald Trump at the end of his term, and that his successor has not modified, keeping Cuba on the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, which significantly affects the Cuban economy.
The Cuban ambassador also emphasized that the Cuban people is strong, patriotic and firm, and will continue to move forward in pursuit of the country they wish to build.
The road is difficult, but there will be no obstacle that we will not be able to overcome, I say this sincerely. The Cuban people and the Cuban Revolution will know how to resist creatively.
Iván Barreto and Marianniz Díaz´s speeches were equally acclaimed by those present, who showed interest in knowing more details on the topics addressed during their respective talks.
The report of the Southern Cross Brigade, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, was a special moment.
In December 1983, the first contingent from Australia, called the Eureka Brigade, travelled to Cuba. From the following year onwards, solidarity groups from New Zealand joined the Brigade, which then, they began to call it the Southern Cross Brigade.
Hundreds of Australians and New Zealanders of all ages and backgrounds who have had the opportunity to be in contact with the achievements and difficulties of the Caribbean island joined The Southern Cross Brigade.
Listening to the words on a video from the President of ICAP Fernando González Llort, Hero of the Republic of Cuba, who emotionally praised the work developed by the solidarity groups in Australia, was a moment of real emotion. He also expressed words of gratitude and recognition to the men and women who during the last forty years participated in agricultural and social work on a volunteer basis.
On Sunday, 30 July, after intense debates and work by commissions, the members of the National Consultation of the Australia-Cuba Friendship Society agreed, among other motions:
-To request the Australian Government and the association of Australian banks to eliminate the restrictions that prevent the remittance of money.
-To participate in a social project with a donation of 20 thousand Australian dollars.
-To intensify the ties of friendship and collaboration with different spheres of social, political, cultural and economic life of the Australian country and to ask the Australian parliament and government for support to materialize these projects.
-To work on the visibility of the Cuban reality through the civic media, using all the necessary tools for this purpose.
In the farewell and with cheers to Fidel, to Cuba and to the Revolution, the commitment to continue working in defence of Cuba, its Revolution and its people was also ratified.
Written by: Edelmira Palacios