Articles

Jun
05
2017

From Africa to Cuba: Perpetual solidarity

In Namibia to talk about Cuba is to instantly feel affection and respect, curiosity for an island, distant geographically, but close by common history. This is a reality that also extends to all Africa, because to say Cuba means brotherhood. So it is no surprise that Windhoek - the Namibian capital - from today is the site of the V Continental Conference of Solidarity with Cuba.

According to the latest figures offered by the Organizing Committee, 288 participants from countries such as South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso were registered.

The meeting will bring together over a hundred delegates from around 26 countries to discuss their relations with the island and strengthen solidarity. After weeks of preparation by the government and the Cuba-Namibia Friendship Association, the Country Club Hotel's conference room will host the working sessions divided into two commissions. Its central themes will be the fight against the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States and the call for the return of the illegally occupied territory of Guantánamo.

These themes are joined by the links between solidarity movements with Cuba, the use of alternative means to spread the truth and the importance of the legacy of Fidel and Che.

In front of the Cuban delegation is Hero Fernando González, president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) that along with the legendary commander Víctor Dreke, comrade of Che decades ago in the guerrilla of the Congo and other members who conform the 20 Cuban representatives.

Under the motto "Intensifying solidarity and continuing the legacy of Fidel and Che", the event will be inaugurated by Namibian President Hage Geingob, whose speech is expected with interest and certainty that it will serve as a basis for enriching the debates. 

The program of the event, until next day 7, will be completed with activities prepared by the Namibian authorities, the Friendship Association, the resident Cubans and the students of the Fidel Castro elementary school.

One of the special features of this meeting is the permanent exhibition in the Country Club halls of 100 photos of Fidel from different stages, made by the solidarity movement in South Africa. Later, the sample will be transferred to the National Library to be admired by the inhabitants of the capital.

Parallel to the preparation of the Conference, the Friendship Association has carried out several activities that have served as a liaison between two friendly peoples. For example, they held film exhibitions in different locations in the capital. In addition they held the "Friendship Carnaval" to expose the customs of Namibians and Cubans.

On the other hand, they made pullovers allusive to the event and to the memory of the Commandant in Chief Fidel Castro, which will be used by the Cuban delegates in the event.

The continental meeting was held prior to Ethiopia and for the organizers the Windhoek event could exceed previous ones by the number of participants.

May
19
2017

Embassy of Cuba donates painting to Namibian Independence Museum.

Giraldo Mazola Collazo, Cuban Ambassador to Namibia, delivered to Genhart Gurirab, General Curator of the Independence Museum, a photo of the Hosea Kutaku School, which completes a special collection about Namibian education before Independence.

The Hosea Kutaku and Hendrik Witbooi Schools, both located on the Isle of Youth, were the ones that received during the 70s and 80s thousands of young Namibians, several hundred of them survivors of the Cassinga massacre.

The Museum has photos of the study centers abroad where the young Namibians were formed, but a sample of Cuban institutions was missing.

The Ambassador explained that during those years, around 25 thousand young Africans of different nationalities were simultaneously studying in the Isle of Youth. In addition, "Cuba placed as a condition that the countries of origin of students had to send with them a professor of history and another of geography from these nations." The flag that was in Cuban schools was the country of the student", he explained.

"Many of the graduates from these schools are prominent men and women from Namibia," said the Ambassador.

For his part, the curator thanked the gesture of the Cuban Embassy and expressed his satisfaction for the possibility to complete the collection. Gurirab was excited to "appreciate the place where many Namibian brothers and sisters studied and graduated." He also highlighted the historical relations between Cuba and Namibia.

Apr
13
2017

President of Namibia thanked for the assistance provided by Cuba in his State of the Nation address.

The President of the Republic of Namibia, Dr. Hage H. Geingob, in his State of the Nation address to the Parliament, thanked for the assistance provided by Cuba in the struggle for the independence of the Namibian people and condemned the unjust blockade of the United States against the Island.

The Namibian leader said:

“Allow me to single out the enormous contribution made by two of Namibia’s closest allies, namely the Republic of Angola and the Republic of Cuba towards Namibia’s freedom and independence. For many years, Angola was not only home to thousands of Namibians in exile, it was the main rear base from where our armed struggle was planned and waged. 

As for Cuba, no other country outside Africa has contributed as selflessly as Cuba has, to the attainment of our freedom. We will forever cherish this true solidarity. The Cubans never came to plunder and take away our resources. They only came to assist and requested nothing in return. I was deeply honored last year to pay tribute to their fallen hero Comandante En Jefe Fidel Castro Ruz.

We are pleased by the steps taken by former President Obama to normalize Cuban American relations. We hope that the new US Administration will build on those efforts and abolish all vestiges of the blockade against Cuba.”

Mar
28
2017

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia and the President of ICAP made public the call for participating at the 5th Continental Solidarity Conference.

Windhoek, Namibia, March 27th-With the signatures of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and the President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP, for its acronym in Spanish), Kenya Serrano, was announced to all the African movements of solidarity with Cuba an invitation to participate in the V Continental Conference of Solidarity with the Island.

Below is the full text of the call.

“Dear Friends of Cuba from African continent and other Parts of the world,

I have the honor to inform that Namibia will be hosting the 5th Continental African Conference in Solidarity with Cuba, from 5th -7th June 2017. The observance of this conference constitutes another action for further strengthening the friendship and solidarity among our respective nations in the present international scenery.

This event will take place when the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People (ICAP, for its acronym in Spanish), already attained its 56th Anniversary of its formation and Cubans are still celebrating the release of the Five Heroes from the USA jails. This was brought about and made possible by the great support of international solidarity movements, in which the African organizations played a very outstanding role. This conference will be a reaffirmation of the strong and excellent solidarity relations that unite Cuba and Africa.

The hosting by Namibia of the 5th Continental African Conference in Solidarity with Cuba will be a follow-up on the previous ones, especially the Fourth Regional Meeting celebrated in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in September 2012. In this new international context, together, we will analyze and ratify the importance of the solidarity and friendship actions in terms of the most relevant subjects at present. The actions for ending of the US political, economic and financial blockade against Cuba, the withdrawal of Guantanamo Military Base from the Cuban territory, respect and recognizance of Cuban rights to decide its model of society, the future of its peoples and self-determination, opinions, initiatives and exchange of strategies to improve methods and procedures for solidarity work, among other matters, will be important aspects to be analyzed during the Conference.

Also will be an occasion to pay tribute to the memory of the late Commander in Chief Fidel Castro and to remember and to renew our commitment with his legacy.

There is no doubt that this continental meeting will be a step forward for the consolidation of the solidarity movements with Cuba and African countries.

It is against this background that we are inviting you to this important gathering scheduled to take place from 5th -7th June 2017, in Windhoek, Namibia.

Looking forward for confirmation and participation on this important gathering.

Please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.

Fraternally,

 

Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation

Hon. Kenia Serrano

President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP, for its acronym in Spanish)”

 

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