Cuban residents, solidarity association members and a representation of Latin communities based in Sydney, attended last Sunday "A taste of Cuba" function carried out at the Uruguayan Club, which was dedicated to the Cuban culture and the Cuban island´s attractiveness as tourist destination in the Caribbean. On November the 10th, 4 million international visitors had visited Cuba.
"Francisco Toledo and friends" musical group delighted the audience while playing Cuban boleros and Buena Vista Social Club and Van Van most famous songs. In the meantime, Australian citizens Lily and Tim Harrington, who have visited Cuba more than ten times, impressed the attendees with a Cuban rumba dance performance.
During the event the Ambassador of Cuba Jose Manuel Galego recognized the work of the Australia-Cuba Friendship Society(ACFS), which for more than 30 years has maintained its support to the Cuban Revolution, by backing the international campaign for the Cuban Five return, calling for the lifting of US blockade on Cuba and demanding the return of the territory illegally occupied by the United States in Guantanamo. This December the Southern Cross Brigade, which is organized each year by ACFS, will visit for thirty-sixth consecutive time some socio-economic places of interest in Havana and will contribute with some volunteer agricultural work at Julio Antonio Mella international campsite in Artemisa province.
The Cuban citzen Joaquín Suárez was also recognized for his constributions as a founding member of the "Cuban Children Hospital Fund", which since the 1990s raises money to donate medical equipment to Wiliam Soler pediatric hospital in Havana. Due to US blockade on the island, Cuba can not easily acquire these kind of equipments as there are in place importing restrictions if medical devices contain any U.S. components or technology.
At the end of the event, the Cuban film El Benny, which entails a fictional story based on one of the most oustdanding Cuban musicians of all times, was screened.