Fidel Castro plays it safe talking about education

Written by: Staff, on February 18th, 2011

 

Cuban television aired on Thursday the third and final part of the meeting which took place on Tuesday and in which Cuban and foreign personalities shared with Fidel their concerns on the need to improve the education and training of the new generations. 

Argentinean writer Estela Calloni said that it is essential to consolidate the role of alternative media to face the harmful influence of the big information and entertainment trans-national media corporations.

Referring to the spirit of youths in Latin America, Fidel highlighted the heroism of Puerto Rican youths who, he said, are fighting a great battle today.

Questioned by Fidel about his vision on the issues related to Cuban children and youths, historian Eduardo Torres-Cuevas said that the teaching of history has to get rid of preconceived ideas and dogmas in order to convey all the richness of the legacy of previous generations. In this regard, he announced the preparation of works dedicated to figures such as anti-slave fighter Jose Antonio Aponte and poet Gabriel de la Concepcion Valdes (Placido), who are little known among children and youths.

Journalist Marta Rojas noted that researchers and experts have to go´beyond the academic spaces and give priority to communicative activities accessible to students.

The president of the Association of Cuban Writers and Artists (UNEAC), writer and researcher Miguel Barnet, reiterated the need to encourage youths to study the history of Cuba, “a nation where they have all the resources and where they will never be abandoned,” he pointed out.

Culture Minister Abel Prieto insisted on the need to spread information about the just causes of the world in a time of wars in which the truth needs to break through the silence.

Havana Historian Eusebio Leal also expressed his concern over the education of the new generations and said that it should begin in schools and, even before, in the family’s upbringing.

Leal added that Fidel still has many things to do and, as an example, he mentioned his recently published book ‘La Victoria estratégica’ (The Strategic Victory).

The president of the Havana-based Casa de las Americas cultural center, poet Roberto Fernandez Retamar, described the meeting with Fidel as historic, and reiterated the need to listen more to youths.

In his dialogue with the intellectuals, Fidel suggested to hold a similar meeting in February 2012 in the context of next year’s International Book Fair.

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