The Cuban Minister of Education, Dr. Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto, participated in the Education 2025 World Forum (EWF), held from 18 to 21 May at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London, United Kingdom. The event brought together 122 ministers from 124 countries, making it the largest annual gathering of global education leaders.
During his speech he highlighted some of the fundamental pillars of the Cuban education system: free education, universal access and comprehensive protection for children. He underlined the island's progress in terms of educational inclusion, with an emphasis on children with special needs and vulnerable communities. She also reaffirmed Cuba's commitment to quality, equitable and transformative public education.
The Cuban minister also addressed the challenges facing the country, particularly the negative impact of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States and its inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. These unilateral coercive measures, she denounced, hinder access to resources and technologies essential for the development of the education sector.
In the margins of the forum, the Cuban delegation developed an extensive work agenda. Among the most important meetings, Minister Trujillo Barreto held a bilateral meeting with Janet Daby, Minister for Children and Families of the United Kingdom, at the headquarters of the British Department for Education. The two sides explored opportunities for cooperation in areas such as teacher training, language teaching and digital literacy. The Cuban minister extended an invitation to her counterpart to visit the island and learn first-hand about the policies and initiatives of the Cuban education system.
A meaningful exchange was also held with British MPs from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cuba (APPG) at the British Parliament. During the dialogue, the minister highlighted the key achievements of the Cuban education system, its resilience in the face of adversity and the country's willingness to promote joint projects, including through triangular cooperation mechanisms in countries of the Global South. She also recalled the signing of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) between Cuba and the United Kingdom in November 2023, which has already been ratified by the Cuban Parliament and is still pending ratification by the British side.
In an atmosphere of solidarity and fraternity, the Cuban minister also participated in a meeting with representatives of the UK National Education Union (NEU) and the Cuba Solidarity Campaign (CSC). The close relationship between education trade union organisations in both countries was highlighted, as well as the recent raising of more than £100,000 for the purchase of educational materials for Cuba, including computers, school supplies, musical instruments and equipment for students with disabilities.
Cuba's participation in the World Education Forum 2025 reaffirms the unwavering commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on inclusive, equitable and quality education. Once again, Cuba's voice was raised with dignity in defence of the human right to education and the need to build a more just, caring and educated world.