Tribute to the Historic Leader of the Cuban Revolution at UNESCO, as Part of the Celebrations for the Centenary of His Birth
Paris, September 29, 2026. – The Permanent Delegation of Cuba to UNESCO today paid tribute to Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz as part of the celebrations marking the centenary of his birth. A group of ambassadors and delegates to the Organization attended the event, where they learned about Fidel’s relationship with UNESCO and his commitment to education, culture, science, technology, and the promotion of peace and international cooperation—areas closely linked to the Organization’s mandate.
In her remarks, the Cuban ambassador, Maria del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, stressed that these advances have been achieved in a context marked by the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba for more than six decades, and by its progressive tightening. Today, this policy of collective punishment is accompanied by an energy siege that exacerbates the difficulties faced by the country and directly affects sectors essential to the well-being of the population, while the threat of secondary sanctions against companies, banks, and institutions in third countries that maintain ties with Cuba remains in place. These measures, with humanitarian consequences, have created additional obstacles to the country’s development and place important achievements in areas related to UNESCO’s mandate at serious risk.
Statement by Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, at the General Debate of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
New York, September 26, 2026.- Statement by Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, at the General Debate of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. #CubaIsNotAThreat, the blockade is.
Cuba and UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre Reaffirm Cooperation to Protect the National Heritage
Paris, September 22, 2026-. Cuba’s Ambassador to UNESCO, María del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, held a courtesy meeting with Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, during which the excellent cooperation ties between Cuba and the Centre were reaffirmed.
During the meeting, both parties highlighted the importance of monitoring Cuban sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, as well as opportunities to further strengthen cooperation in the conservation and protection of the country’s cultural and natural heritage.
The Cuban representative also outlined the complex difficulties currently facing the country as a result of the unprecedented intensification of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States Government, as well as the energy siege that prevents the country from importing fuel from the international market. She noted that these measures directly affect the availability of material, financial and energy resources, constitute collective punishment against the Cuban people, and create additional obstacles to the management, conservation and protection of World Heritage sites. In this context, she highlighted the efforts made by national institutions to ensure the preservation of these properties despite existing limitations, and underscored the importance of strengthening international cooperation and resource mobilization to ensure the protection of Cuba’s cultural and natural heritage in the face of growing economic and environmental challenges.
Message from the Permanent Delegation of Cuba to UNESCO to Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his upcoming visit to the Organization’s Headquarters
Paris, 21 September 2026.- Ambassador María del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, Permanent Delegate of Cuba to UNESCO, signed the message to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in the book that will be presented to him on the occasion of his upcoming official visit to the Organization’s Headquarters, scheduled for 25 September in Paris. The visit will take place at the invitation of the Director-General of UNESCO, Khaled El-Enany, and will focus, among other issues, on human dignity, peace and dialogue.
Cuba places the impact of the U.S. blockade at the center of the debate on the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States
Paris, 18 September 2026. – During the extended plenary meeting of the UNESCO Group of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), held in the presence of the Director-General of the Organization, Professor Khaled El-Enany, Ambassador María del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, Permanent Delegate of Cuba to UNESCO, highlighted the need for the Organization to strengthen its attention to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), from a cross-cutting perspective that takes into account the multiple dimensions of their vulnerabilities and ensures their effective participation in defining the priorities and decisions that concern them.
In her intervention, Cuba drew particular attention to the additional dimension represented for the country by the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the Government of the United States. She noted that this policy aggravates the vulnerabilities inherent to the condition of a Small Island Developing State and severely limits access to essential resources, technologies, financing and supplies.