New York, 20 December 2016.- Organized by the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations, the UN General Assembly celebrated today in the morning, the Special commemorative event to pay tribute to the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz. After appreciating the invitation to preside such session, the President of the General Assembly, Peter Thomson, highlighted the value and significance of the ideals, life and work of the leader of the Cuban Revolution, who he defined as a "uniquely influential figure", followed by the words of the Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, Mirsolav Jenca who, in turn, conveyed to the audience a message of the UN Secretary General for such session.
After solemnly observing a minute of silence to the memory of our leader, the session embraced a whole-morning session of statements by representatives of regional groups and representatives in their national capacities, who reiterated their solidarity with the Cuban Government and people and recalled the personality of the leader of the Cuban Revolution, his actions in favor of human beings in Cuba and beyond, stressing his legacy and permanence within our spaces.
As in all the tributes to our Commander in this city, the General Assembly hall was filled with the solidary spirit and strength of Cuba´s friends who did not fail to accompany us in such tribute and who later on filled social networks with images and warm messages, moved by the impact of this event devoted to our Commander.
After noon, the session was concluded with the statement, on behalf of Cuba, of our Deputy Permanent Representative and Chargé D’Áffaires a.i. , Ambassador Ana Silvia Rodríguez Abascal, to communicate in the name of President Raúl Castro, of the Cuban people and Government and their relatives, the most heartfelt gratitude for the attendance to this special commemorative event dedicated to homage the life and work of the President of Cuba during several decades and eternally the Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro. Once again, the General Assembly, listened to excerpts of speeches delivered there by our leader, as part of the statement of our Ambassador who recalled his messages in this and other forums, in defense of peace, the elimination of nuclear weapons, the protection of the environment, respect for sovereignty and independence of the peoples and his relentless struggle for a better world. (Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations)