Havana Cuba Travel, Varadero Cuba Vacation, Cuba Information

Cuba and Peru’s intense relations experienced two significant events Monday, the inauguration of a new house of friendship and a welcome for Cuba’s contribution to the development of education.

La Casa de la Amistad in the populous Lurin municipality in Lima was inaugurated with the attendance of Cuban Ambassador Luis Delfin Perez, who congratulated the leadership, led by journalist and historian Augusto Rivas.

The diplomat urged the leaders of the brand-new house, to work in favor of strengthening bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation between both countries.

He emphasized the transparent and comprehensive character of the houses of friendship, dedicated to support and promote those ties in all areas, apart from all internal political activity.

He gave a historic overview of the Cuban revolution and reviewed its successes in the areas of education, health and social security, in contrast to the Cuban situation before the revolutionary triumph of 1959.

The ambassador was also the guest of honor at the closing ceremony of the second International Antonio Encinas Congress of Pedagogy that honors this Peruvian educator, with the participation of high level educators from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador and other countries.

The Non Aligned Movement (NAM), under Cuba temporary presidency, took stock of its work in Geneva.

After Friday”s meeting of the NAM Geneva chapter, the Cuban representation led by Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque circulated a substantial document at the UN headquarters summarizing the activity of the group.

The text that was unanimously backed by ambassadors and delegates from the 118 members of the group, addresses participation and incidence of developing countries in the main scene worldwide.

Among issues are the prominent role in the new UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in which the Movement had a decisive bearing to make the institutional construction process of this body come true.

NAM has also repeatedly denounced at the HRC constant violation of the people”s fundamental rights in the Palestinian and Arab territories occupied by Israel and repudiated unilateral coercive measures.

In his Friday speech Perez Roque highlighted that one of the group”s strengths is the fact it constitutes two thirds of the UN Assembly General and that 29 of the 47 HRC members comes from its lines.

After the celebration here of the International Labor Conference in 2007 the NAM adopted two agreements dealing with extension of the Trade Union Liberty Committee and methods of the Commission for the use of Regulations.

In addition, it played a very important role at the Conference of Member States Revision of the Geneva Biological Weapons Convention, besides its participation in different forums related to disarmament, among other activities.

The 13th National Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba in Mexico starts Saturday in this beach resort city, with representatives from several social and political organizations of the country.

The agenda of the event, to be run until Sunday, includes four panels and three work tables, the organizing committee informed.

Issues of the work groups include tasks and perspectives of solidarity with Cuba, youth work in that direction, exchange of experiences, national coordination and union activities.

Panels include Commander Ernesto Che Guevara’s relevance in occasion of his 80th birth anniversary, Cuba’s solidarity worldwide and its social programs, and youth’s role in today’s Cuba.

Also included is a report on the situation of five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters unfairly imprisoned in United States and the struggle for their release.

A Havana delegation attending the meeting will speak on Cuba faced with the new challenges.

The Mexican Committee of Solidarity with Cuba stated that the island has been a hope for 50 years to all peoples of the planet, especially those that fight daily for a better world.

“We must galvanize efforts to end the brutal US economic blockade, free the Cuban Five and commemorate Che Guevara’s birth and the 50th anniversary of the Revolution,” the organizing group stated.

Cuban President Raul Castro led a meeting of the Western Army Military Council, in which he highlighted the work carried out by the military in 2007.

In the meeting held Friday, it was reiterated that the mobilization of Army reservists and militiamen, known as “Operacion Caguairan”, will continue for the time being, with the aim of developing their military abilities.

The importance of enlisting women in the defense of the country, especially through the female voluntary military service, was also stressed.

During the meeting, Raul Castro read a message from the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, who congratulated General Julio Casas Regueiro for his promotion to Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR).

“I think the enemy has not managed to entangle us thanks to Raul Castro’s wise and serene speech,” Fidel Castro noted in that text.

On behalf of the Military Council, Western Army chief Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra, praised Raul Castro´s work as FAR minister for almost five decades.

“We know you are the right person to preside over the Council of State and Ministers, because like Fidel Castro, you have taught us the meaning of the Cuban Revolution,” Cintras stated.

“Mozart in Havana,” eight live concerts by 11 Cuban pianists on three DVDs by the Cuban pianist Ulises Hernandez, will go on sale in Havana sponsored by Colibri Records to commemorate the 250th birth anniversary of the Austrian musician.

The DVD was launched by Ulises Hernandez on January 27 at the house where Wolfgang Amadues Mozart was born in Salzburg and includes all sonatas and fantasies composed for piano by this musician.

Colibri director Marta Bonet told press that the work is a combination of images of the piano players interpreting Mozart’s compositions with sequences of this city.

The participant musicians are Victor Rodriguez, Roberto Urbay, Ileana Bautista, Elvira Santiago, Maria Victoria del Collado, Marita Rodriguez, Yanet Bermudez, Pedro Rodriguez, Fidel Leal, Leonardo Gell and Ulises Hernandez.

All concerts were held in the Amadeo Roldan Theater in Vedado and in La Basilica of San Francisco de Asis in Old Havana.