jueves, 26 de febrero de 2009

Zimbabwe’s Health Minister Highlights Cuba Medical Cooperation

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 26 (acn) Cuba’s aid is well known and acknowledged by
everybody, said Zimbabwe’s Health and Child Welfare minister Henry
Madzorera in reference to the Health Comprehensive Program being
developed in that country by 130 Cuban medical doctors.

Madzorera made his statements during a meeting with Cuban ambassador to
Zimbabwe Cosme Torres Espinosa. Both officials reviewed ongoing
bilateral relations in the field of health, according to a press release
by the Cuban embassy in Zimbabwe.

Ambassador Torres Espinosa paid a courtesy visit to the Zimbabwean
government official in the context of his appointment as new Health and
Child Welfare minister.

During the talks, the Cuban ambassador ratified his country’s commitment
to keep boosting cooperation with the African nation despite the
economic difficulties facing Cuba.

(Destaca funcionario de Zimbabwe asistencia medica cubana)

Raul Castro Met with Special Envoy of French President

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 26 (acn) Cuban President Raul Castro held talks on Wednesday with Jack Lang, special envoy of France´s President Nicolas Sarkozy.

During their meeting, Jack Lang expressed the willingness of the French President to boost bilateral relations between Paris and Havana, and to enhance the bonds between Cuba and the European Union in a context of mutual respect, Granma newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, Raul Castro appreciated the initiative of the French President and affirmed Cuba´s interest in revitalizing traditional political, economic and cooperation relations in the benefit of both countries.

The Cuban President also expressed his willingness to maintain political dialog between Cuba and the European Union, which began in October 2008 in Paris, on the basis of mutual respect.

The encounter, which took place in a friendly and cordial ambiance, was also attended by French ambassador to Havana, Frederic Dore; Lang´s wife Ms. Monique Lang, and on the Cuban part, Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque.

Jack Lang is a renowned political personality in France. He was Culture and Education Minister under the Francois Mitterrand administration; he has also been a lawmaker and chair of the French Parliament´s Foreign Affairs Committee.

(Recibió Raúl a Enviado Especial del Presidente de Francia)

Leader of the Cuba-Africa Friendship Association Visits Kenya

HAVANA, Cuba Feb 25 (acn) The Executive Secretary of the Cuba-Africa Friendship Association, Teresa Daisy Diaz, has begun a working program in Kenya.

Díaz, who is also an official with the Cuban Friendship Institute (ICAP), met with executives from the Association at the headquarters of the Cuban embassy in Nairobi, the capital, to discuss aspects of interest for this movement of solidarity.

She also gave a news conference for the mass media of that nation in East Africa, during which she focused on the historical bonds of solidarity between Cuba and Africa. In that continent, there are presently 159 Cuba Friendship Associations and over 74 Committees for the Release of the Cuban Five, unjustly incarcerated in the United States.

Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Rene Gonzalez, Fernando Gonzalez and Antonio Guerrero were arrested in 1998 in Miami, and then condemned to harsh sentences for monitoring the activities of Miami-based, anti-Cuban terrorist groups, and warning the Cuban people of their criminal actions.

Diaz also met with Kenyan Parliament member Shakila Abdalla, who visited Cuba recently as part of the delegation headed by Farah Maalim, vice-president of Kenya’s National Assembly.

Others activities in her engagement book in the African nation included contacts with civil and student organizations, visits to provincial branches of the Friendship Association, and a central meeting with members of the organization.

(Visita Kenya dirigente de Asociación de Amistad Cuba-África)

Cuban Children to Pay Tribute to Antonio Guerrero

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 26.The Cuban children’s theater group La Colmenita will represent the poem “Acta de reunion de las aves endemicas de Cuba” (Meeting of Birds Endemic to Cuba), by Antonio Guerrero, one of the five Cubans unjustly incarcerated in the United States. The announcement was made on Wednesday in Havana by the deputy director of the National Museum of Natural History, Regla Balmori.

Referring to the poem’s process of composition, Antonio Said: “… I disguised Cuban pioneer children with the plumage of our birds".

The premiere of this special performance will be on May 30 in the portal of the Museum, and will close the festivities for the 45th anniversary of the founding of this cultural institution, said Balmori.

She added that this presentation will be repeated during the inauguration of the 5th “Rosa Elena Simeon in Memoriam” Image of Nature Festival, scheduled for Havana’s Convention Center from June 8th through to the 12th.


Balmori, who is also the vice-president of the event’s organizing committee, added that 43 new paintings by Tony –as he’s known by most Cuban children- will be an important part of the festival. On this occasion, his drawings depict the national birds of countries in The Americas.

She also announced that the exhibition will be opened to the public beginning September 12, when the author and his companions -Ramon Labanino, Gerardo Hernandez, Rene Gonzalez and Fernando Gonzalez- will have been 11 years in jail.

Other works by Tony participated in the previous edition of the festival with the exhibition Alas de Libertad (Wings of Freedom), which includes drawings of 21 birds endemic to Cuba and 22 macaws from other countries in The Americas.

(Niños cubanos cumplirán un sueño de Antonio Guerrero)