New Delhi, 13 August 2016. With a large representation of leaders and members of Indian solidarity, teachers and university students, friends and diplomats, the National Committee of Solidarity with Cuba, in coordination with the Embassy of Cuba held a commemoration especially in the auditorium of Ghalib Institute, in honor of the 90th birthday of the Commander in Chief and the 63rdAnniversary of the attack on the Moncada Barracks.
The opening remarks were given by Niloptal Basu, Coordinator of the National Committee of Solidarity with Cuba in India, who spoke of the great importance of both dates for those who love Cuba. The Chargé d'affaires a.i., of Embassy of Cuba in India, Marileydis Dueñas Morales briefly spoke about the historic contribution of Fidel in the construction of socialism in Cuba. She stated that Fidel is an inspiration to all Cubans and is loved by them as a father figure and the real tribute to Fidel is to continue the fight against injustice anywhere in the world and striving for an equal world where everybody can lead a dignified life.
The General Secretaryof the Communist Party of India, SudhakarReddy highlighted the advances made by Cuba in the fields of education, particularly in the elimination of illiteracy within three years of revolution due to the dynamism of Fidel and his foresight. He brought to the notice of the audience the more than 600 attempts made by CIA on Fidel’s life.
The General Secretary of the Communist Party of India Marxist, Sitaram Yechury, recalled his meetings with Fidel Castro and Fidel’s penchant for details and his emphasis that without a through grasp of ground realities one cannot fight capitalism or build socialism. He reminded the audience of the medical brigades sent by Cuba to fight Ebola, Zika etc. He thanked Fidel for his words of wisdom he shares regularly through his reflections.
Siddarth Varadarajan, Editor of “The Wire” and eminent journalist, analyzed the various aspects of the life of Fidel and highlighted the contribution of Fidel in the war against imperialism, apartheid and the unity of South-South. All speakers, in general referred to moments fromthe life of Fidel, highlighting his importance as an eternal fighter and an example for revolutionaries the world; about the humanism and achievements in education and health Cuba and services that Cuba provides in these areas to a large number of other countries.
During the activity, audiovisual fragments about Fidel were shown "Merit is to be alive". The event was also enlivened by a cultural group “Dastak” from Kerala, who played songs in salute to the 90th birthday, while other group of university students led by Professor Sonya Gupta sang the famous Guantanamera.
At the end of the act, the book launch of "Long Live Fidel, published by Nilotpal Basu, from the National Committee of Solidarity with Cuba, which compiles the lessons learned from the birth of the Cuban Revolution and from the Attack on the Moncada Barracks and the poem "Ode to Hope" of Pablo Neruda and fragments of the poems by Nicolas Guillen. (Embacuba India).