Athens, 23 October. Cuba's Ambassador to Greece Zelmys María Dominguez Cortina and Counselor José Oriol Marrero Martínez made a comprehensive working visit to Crete, Greece's largest island, from 16 to 21 October, coordinated by Cuba's friend Manolis Vrithias, who accompanied them all the time.
The main objective was the inauguration of the photographic exhibition "With Cuba in the Heart", the work of the counselor and consul of the Embassy of Cuba in Greece José Oriol Marrero Martínez, organized by the Municipality of Heraclio, the Natural History Museum and the embassy in Makasi Gallery, in the city's ancient Venetian wall, from 17 to 31 October. The photographic exhibition has already been shown in 10 cities of Greece, Heraclio being the 11th and are images of monuments, heroes and historical places, urban and rural landscapes, the sea, faces of Cubans, flora, fauna, sunsets, full of beauty that invite to visit the beautiful and heroic country. An excellent cultural action for the day of Cuban Culture in the year of the 60th anniversary of the Revolution.
In addition to the exhibition of photographs, Cuban diplomats met with the mayors of Heraclio, Mires-Festos and Chania, as well as with the regional governor of Crete.
They promoted the academic exchange in meetings with executives of the University of Crete, in which they also held meetings with the deans of the faculties of Biology and Medicine. They also held meeting with authorities of the Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH); directors of the Mediterranean University in Heraclio; as well as the Polytechnic University of Chania.
Cuban representatives promoted business opportunities and the 2019 International Havana Fair FIHAV, on their visit to the Chamber of Commerce of Heraclio. Also in meeting with director of the company Konitsiotis SA that imports Ron Santiago de Cuba in Crete and the visit to the company Terra Creta exporter of olive oil, whose representatives have already gone to FIHAV 2017 and 2018 and have business with Cuba.
At all the meetings, Cuban diplomats explained Cuba's current situation, the strengthening of the US's unfair economic, commercial and financial blockade against the Caribbean country, as well as the recent measures and campaigns against the Cuban revolution. They also referred to the possibilities for cooperation in various areas, as well as the Agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation with the European Union, ratified by Greece, which is an enabling framework for collaboration. In addition, the Havana International Fair (FIHAV 2019) of a commercial nature was promoted, and the possibilities of investment and trade with Cuba. It was also commented on the BioBusiness event in Cuba and the possibilities in tourism. Materials on these topics were handed over to the counterparts, as well as multiple promotional brochures on tourism in Cuba, all of which were highly appreciated by the Greek interlocutors.
In addition to the great cultural action for the Day of Cuban Culture that constituted the photographic exhibition, Caribbean diplomats promoted cultural exchange in meetings with directors of the History Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the archaeological site of the Knossos Palace and the archaeological site of the Palace of Festos, both representative of the Minoan civilization on that Mediterranean island.
In general, the meetings also discussed topics related to the culture and history of the two countries, as well as the ways for a closer relationship between Crete and Cuba in the future. Mentioned was the relationship of the national hero of Cuba José Martí with Greece and the book about what Martí wrote about Greece that is being prepared by the counselor of the embassy José Oriol Marrero Martínez, from which already derived an exhibition of photographs on the places of Greece mentioned by Martí, who aroused great interest.
Very important was the solidarity support of political forces such as the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) with whose representatives’ Cuban diplomats held a wide-ranging meeting at the party headquarters, where debated issues of mutual interest and reaffirmed support for Cuba against the blockade.
The media coverage of the visit and the actions carried out, was provided and guaranteed. The Television of Crete did interviews with the Ambassador and the Counselor in the photographic exhibition, covered the meeting with the regional governor and generally gave extensive coverage to the visit. The journalist Lilian Deferati of the newspaper Patris (Patria) also gave an interview to the ambassador. The visit had a major media impact not only in Crete, but also in other Greek media.
Of great significance were the meetings with Cubans residing in Heraclio and Chania, who showed their support for their Homeland and their pride in being Cuban.
The wide and intense program of work in Crete once again showed the wide possibilities for cooperation, as well as solidarity and friendship between the Greek and Cuban peoples.
Embacuba Grecia
