Message of the Ambassador of Cuba in Jamaica, H.E. Inés Fors Fernández, on the occasion of the 93rd birthday of Fidel Castro
Dear friends of Cuba,
In our country, when the anniversary of the birth of a national hero arrives, we usually commemorate it in a very solemn ceremony. However, when it comes to Fidel, we speak about “celebrating his birthday”. Well, when he was physically with us, every August 13th was a date of genuine joy for most Cubans and our friends around the world. And even though neither him nor the Cuban government ever encouraged the celebration of the date, we always managed to have some kind of party that day.
And now that he has made his complete entrance into History, well… we still celebrate Fidel’s birthday, cake and all! But why’s that so? Does it make any sense?
The best explanation I could find was not a result of reasoning, but of sentiment. My answer is that Fidel is so beloved by so many people, that we still feel he’s alive and with us. Like the child that loses his father and daydreams with having him returning home after work, we still feel that he’s going to show up and help us find the right way in these troubling times. With so much yet to be done for the downtrodden of the world, we definitely miss Fidel’s charisma, guidance and sense of justice.
Fidel taught us many lessons: to be loyal to our friends, to remain together before adversity, and to draw strength from our unity to overcome the ever-increasing challenges of modern imperialism. He taught us that internationalism is a duty and an honour for every revolutionary, that solidarity is not giving what we can spare, but sharing what little we have with our friends.
Following his teachings, Cuba has graduated more than 650 students from this sister nation and we keep about 350 Cuban cooperants on Health and Education here, carrying out their jobs in urban and rural regions where they are sorely needed.
Fidel always supported the idea of a strong and independent Caribbean region, free from the pressure of regional and global powers. He always admired the courageous decision of Jamaica of establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1972, defying the hemispheric diplomatic isolation that the Imperialism tried to impose on us after the triumph of the Revolution. Likewise, he acknowledged the continued support of our Caribbean neighbours against the blockade and other challenges endured throughout all these years.
That’s why we cannot say that the legacy of Fidel belongs only to the Cubans, but to all the progressist people around the globe. He made a significant contribution to humanity with his ideas and actions, as a tireless fighter for a more just and equitable world. His strength of character, faith in his cause, and perseverance during more than half a century of struggle made him a source of inspiration for millions of men and women worldwide.
I’d like to thank all the organizers and attendants to this event, for helping us keep his legacy alive and well in our minds and, specially, our hearts.
¡Viva Fidel!