Wellington, June 13. At the invitation of Vice Prime Minister Grant Robertson, Ambassador Edgardo Valdés attended this Sunday the inauguration of the Anne Frank Memorial, in Ellice Park in this city.
The event was attended by parliamentarians, diplomats, and members of the community, who joined in this tribute and demonstration of rejection of all forms of discrimination.
Queenstown, June 11. Ambassador Edgardo Valdés visited the cities of Dunedin and Queenstown between June 8 and 11, where he met with the respective mayors, Aaron Hawkins and Jim Boult.
In an interesting program organized by the local Foreign Ministry, the Ambassador learned about New Zealand's positive experiences in sustainable agricultural production, nature tourism and support for innovative companies, among other topics.
Havana, May 28. The Cuban Foreign Ministry issued a statement in which “…the Republic of Cuba rejects, in the strongest possible terms, the US State Department’s certification of Cuba as a country that is not cooperating fully with the United States counterterrorism efforts, published by the Federal Register of that country on May 25, 2021.
Nelson, May 3. Ambassador Edgardo Valdés paid a courtesy visit to the Mayor of Nelson, H.W Rachel Reese, with whom he exchanged about Cuba and this beautiful city on the South Island.
Both expressed interest in contributing to greater mutual knowledge between our peoples and agreed to promote cultural exchange in the near future.
Wellington, April 25. Ambassador Edgardo Valdés attended the ANZAC day commemoration ceremony on Sunday morning, in which New Zealanders pay tribute to those who, as the Governor-General, the Right Honorable Lady Patsy Reddy said, showed "courage in times of darkness and fear, and hope for a future of peace, opportunity and well-being for all".
On behalf of the Government and the people of Cuba, the Ambassador placed a wreath in honor of the fallen, among which the important contribution of the Maori and Pacific Island communities stands out.
Wellington, April 21. Ambassador Edgardo Valdés attended the ceremony honoring Prince Philip, which was attended by the Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honorable Dame Patsy Reddy, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Maori King, His Majesty Kiingi Tuheitia, among other authorities.
It was a solemn and emotional ceremony, in which the Diplomatic Corps, together with multiple representatives of New Zealand society, showed their solidarity with the royal family.
Auckland, April 17. Commemorating the victory of the Cubans over the armed invasion of Playa Girón (Bay of Pigs) and the beginning of the 8th Congress of the Communist Party, friends summoned by the Auckland/Cuba Friendship Society, demanded before the US Consulate the end of the aggressive policy of that country against the island.
Wellington, April 13. Cuban Ambassador Edgardo Valdés met in Congress with Angela Roberts, a parliamentarian for the Labor Party and co-president of the Parliamentary Group of Friendship with Latin America and the Caribbean.
In a very friendly atmosphere, they exchanged extensively on the situation in Cuba and foreign policy issues, including the relationship with New Zealand and our cooperation with the Caribbean and the Pacific.
They identified topics for future exchanges between our parliamentarians, including health, education, and the environment.
Auckland, April 8. The Cuban Ambassador attended a meeting with 20 leaders of the First Union, other Unions, and members of the board of solidarity groups with Cuba.
At the meeting, a recorded message of thanks was transmitted from Leima Martínez, Director of Asia / Pacific of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), and the Ambassador made a presentation on the situation in Cuba, the perspectives of relations with the United States, the good state of ties with New Zealand and the upcoming debate on the blockade in the United Nations General Assembly.
Auckland, April 8. Cuban Ambassador Edgardo Valdés made a presentation at the University of Auckland, organized by the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA) and the NZ / Latin America Business Council (LANZBC).
It was attended by 45 academics, businessmen, students, and members of solidarity groups.
After a presentation on relations with the United States, our foreign policy, business opportunities, and recent economic changes in Cuba, the Ambassador answered numerous questions that showed interest in the island.
