Ankara, April 11, 2022. A series of workshops on Cuba's history are being held at the headquarters of the Cuba-Turkey Friendship Association "José Martí" in this capital, with the participation of some twenty Turkish citizens, motivated by the desire to learn more about Cuba and its revolutionary process.
The academic event organized by the solidarity group started last March 26 and will last until April 23, with the participation of a representation of members of the Cuban Embassy in Turkey. The program includes five sessions of lectures on the history of Cuba, from the Colonial period and the beginning of the struggles for Independence; the neo-colonial period; the triumph of the Revolution; and the process of revolutionary transformations, up to the Cuban present.
As part of the conferences organized, on April 9, member of the Solidarity Association Derya Ünlü gave a wide-ranging presentation on the period from the years of the Neocolonial Republic of 1952 to the 1990s.
During the exchange, the participants showed great interest in the revolutionary gesture that under the leadership of Fidel Castro assaulted the Moncada and started the armed struggle against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The Turkish speaker explained with great emotion unforgettable events of Cuban history such as: the Coup d'Etat of March 10, 1952; the Assault on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Barracks; the landing of the Granma yacht; the Assault on the Presidential Palace; some passages of the combats that took place in the Sierra Maestra and in the plains by the 26th of July movement and the role of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro in leading that emancipating gesture of the Cuban people.
Later, the speaker delved into the process of transformations that took place after the Triumph of the Revolution and the measures of nationalization of the American companies that were adopted by the nascent revolutionary government.
Of special interest to the participants were the explanations given on the creation of organizations such as the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), the Organization of José Martí Pioneers (OPJM) and the Union of Young Communists (UJC) since the early years of the Revolution. Likewise, the narratives on the glorious epic of the Cuban people at Playa Giron and the proclamation by Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro of the socialist character of the Revolution during that period attracted the attention of Turkish citizens.
The Counselor of the Diplomatic Mission, Luis Javier Cabañas Álvarez, thanked on behalf of the Cuban Embassy all the participants for the interest shown in the history of Cuba. The Antillean diplomat expressed his confidence that the Cuban people, especially the younger generation, will continue to resist the growing aggressions of U.S. imperialism and will be faithful in the defense of its socialist Revolution. He took the opportunity to thank the José Martí Association for the traditional support and solidarity they have always offered to the Cuban people in their struggle against the criminal blockade imposed by the US government.