UNESCO Global Geoparks Council unanimously recommends the inclusion of Viñales in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network
Paris, 2 November 2026.- The UNESCO Global Geoparks Council unanimously recommended the inclusion of Viñales in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, following its examination of the evaluation report on Cuba’s application, prepared after the evaluation mission conducted in this territory of Pinar del Río Province from 5 to 10 October 2026.
Following the announcement of the decision, Cuba’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNESCO thanked the Council and the evaluation experts for the rigour of their work and highlighted the significance of the outcome for the country. She also denounced the consequences of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States for more than six decades, including the current energy blockade, which she described as illegal and unjustified. She underscored its effects on people’s daily lives, scientific work, tourism and the capacity of communities such as Viñales to advance their sustainable development.
Cuba’s Ambassador to UNESCO Denounces in L’Humanité the Impact of the Escalation of the US Energy Blockade on the Cuban People
Paris, October 26th.- Cuba’s Ambassador to UNESCO, María del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, gave an interview to the prestigious French newspaper L’Humanité, in which she addressed the serious consequences of the escalation of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, compounded by the energy siege imposed on the country.
In her remarks, the Cuban diplomat denounced the devastating impact of these measures on every aspect of Cuban people’s lives, including areas within UNESCO’s mandate, such as education, science, culture, communication and information. She also warned of disruptions to the continuity of educational processes and the resulting effects on the well-being of children, adolescents and young people.
The interview comes ahead of the vote on 27 and 28 October in the United Nations General Assembly on the resolution calling for the lifting of the blockade against Cuba. The process is unfolding amid brutal and brazen US pressure on other countries in an attempt to influence their positions and reduce support for a resolution that has historically received near-unanimous international backing.
The Ambassador underscored Cuba’s efforts to preserve essential services and ensure the continuity of education despite mounting difficulties, and warned of the humanitarian consequences of these coercive measures.
Cuba advocates a UNESCO framework for crisis preparedness and response focused on resilience and national priorities
Paris, October 20, 2026.— Cuba underscored before the UNESCO Executive Board the need to establish a framework for crisis preparedness and response based on inclusive intergovernmental negotiations, led by Member States and respectful of national sovereignty. The Cuban delegation emphasized that the Organization’s action must remain within its mandate, address the specific circumstances of each situation, and contribute to strengthening national capacities.
Speaking during the consideration of UNESCO’s crisis preparedness and response framework, Cuba’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Organization, María del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, stressed that crises have different causes and characteristics and therefore require differentiated responses grounded in a common understanding. She also pointed out that situations caused or exacerbated by external factors, including unilateral coercive measures, must be recognized.
In this context, she denounced the impact of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, intensified through an energy siege, which restricts access to essential resources and has humanitarian consequences.
Cuba Reaffirms Its Firm Support for UNRWA at UNESCO and Denounces Attacks on Palestinian Refugees’ Education
Paris, October 19, 2026.- Cuba reaffirmed before UNESCO’s Executive Board its firm support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and called for preserving and strengthening its capacity to guarantee the right to education of Palestinian refugee children and young people. The Cuban delegation denounced Israel’s persistent actions against the Agency, attacks on humanitarian workers and United Nations institutions, and demanded an end to these violations of international law.
Cuba Condemns Israeli Aggression Against Gaza at UNESCO and Denounces the Genocide of the Palestinian People
Paris, October 16, 2026.- Cuba condemned Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip before UNESCO’s Executive Board and denounced the destruction of civilian infrastructure, the forced displacement of the population and the grave humanitarian crisis facing the Palestinian people. The Cuban delegation called for an immediate end to the aggression and for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution that guarantees the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
Speaking during the consideration of the situation in Gaza and Palestine and its consequences in all areas within UNESCO’s mandate, Cuba’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Organization, María del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, stated that it was unacceptable to remain silent in the face of the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, including thousands of children, and the unprecedented destruction caused by Israel’s war machine.