Hamilton, October 24. His Majesty Kiingi Tuheitia received Ambassador Edgardo Valdés and his family in a private farewell audience in his offices.
Accompanied by his wife, Makau Ariki, and his chief of staff, Archdeacon Ngira Simmonds, Kiingi Tuhetia exchanged with the ambassador and recalled Cuba's support for literacy programs for Maori years ago.
Hastings, October 6-8. Ambassador Edgardo Valdés and First Secretary Dalila Vázquez visited this city for meetings with Warren Brewer, national president of the Cuba Solidarity Group of Aotearoa/New Zealand and with Liz Remmerswaal, Vice President of the pacifist organization World Beyond War and its national coordinator in New Zealand.
In both cases, they thanked them for their solidarity with Cuba and talked about future projects based on the friendship between our peoples and in favor of peace.
Auckland, August 5. Young Cuban professionals Marianniz Díaz (immunologist) and Iván Barreto (ICAP official) successfully completed their visit to New Zealand.
On August 3, they visited the Waipareira Trust, the offices of the Foreign Ministry in Auckland, and the University of Auckland, where they spoke at the World Affairs Forum on Medical Research in Cuba and the US blockade.
Auckland, August 1. At the invitation of Cuba solidarity groups in New Zealand, two young Cubans will visit Auckland from August 2-5.
Marianniz Díaz, a scientist at the Center for Molecular Immunology, and Ivan Barreto, an official at the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples will carry out an extensive program of meetings and public events that include contacts with unions, scientists, academics, solidarity groups and officials from the local Foreign Ministry.
Rotorua, July 7. Ambassador Edgardo Valdés and Consul Dalila Vázquez visited the city of Rotorua for several days, where the "Aotearoa Cuban Festival" is held every year.
The ambassador met with H.W Mayor Tania Tapsell, with whom he discussed the Festival, Cuban medical cooperation, and other topics of interest.
He also had meetings with other members of the City Council and local businessmen.
The Consul met with Cuban Greydis Montero, the artistic director of the festival, which promotes Cuban and Afro-Cuban music and dance.
Wellington, March 31. New Zealand political analyst Geoffrey Miller visited the Embassy for an exchange with Ambassador Edgardo Valdés on international politics, Cuba-New Zealand relations and other topics of interest.
Miller is a renowned geopolitical analyst, and a member of the Democracy Project, with a fresh approach to various issues on the current world stage.
He invited the Ambassador to give a lecture on Cuba at the University of Otago.
New Plymouth, March 19. From March 17 to 19, Ambassador Edgardo Valdés and Consul Dalila Vázquez visited this city, to support the Cuban representation at the WOMAD festival and hold meetings with different personalities.
In addition to attending the presentations by Cimafunk and his group, they had a brief meeting with Vice Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni, in charge of the official opening of the event.
Wellington, January 20. Personalities from various areas of activity, but all committed to working for a better world, travel to Cuba to participate in the V International Conference For World Balance, which begins on January 24 in Havana.
The participation of a former Minister of Disarmament and various members of the "World Beyond War" peace movement stands out. They will present their experiences and establish contact with intellectuals, academics, and activists from all over the world attending the event.
Hastings, September 21. Ambassador Edgardo Valdés visited this city on September 20 and 21.
He had a productive meeting with Mayor H.W Sandra Hazlehurst, who informed him about cultural plans, environmental education, and housing construction, among other aspects. They discussed different ideas to develop the relationship.
Together with her, and other members of her team, he toured various places of interest in the city.
Wellington, June 15. The mayor of the tourist city of Rotorua was received by Ambassador Edgardo Valdés and Consul Dalila Vázquez, who thanked her for her friendship and systematic support for the Cuban Festival that is held every year in that city.
H.W Steve Chadwick, who has also been Minister of Conservation and Women's Affairs, as well as Associate Minister of Health, took an interest in the Cuban health system, particularly primary care.
