Vientiane, March 2024. The President of #Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, participated in the VIII CELAC Summit, which took place in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Cuban president spoke at the ceremony commemorating the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as #ZonaDePaz, and recalled the honor that represents for the island the fact that the signing of this emblematic document by the heads of state and government of the 33 countries of the region, It took place at the Havana Summit, although I believe that the merit belongs to everyone, because only the will of all made it not only possible, but also effective. The proclamation signifies hope for millions of people whose main concern is survival in a world convulsed by violence and war. Peace is not only a legitimate right of all peoples and of every human being: it is a fundamental condition for the enjoyment of all human rights, in particular the supreme right to life.
He also stressed that in order to advance in the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean, it is essential to preserve peace. It allows us to listen to each other in order to understand each other, to get closer to what unites us and to discuss differences in a civilized and respectful way. I remember with great emotion that moment, ten years ago, when the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, in his capacity as president pro tempore of CELAC, invited his colleagues in the region to sign the proclamation. Unity in diversity, as called upon as it was necessary, was present.
Finally, he ended his important speech with a call to preserve unity in all circumstances, when he said "in the face of differences, dialogue; in the face of challenges, cooperation; in the face of diversity, more unity; In the face of war and violence, let us stand up for peace.
Embassy of Cuba