---------- From: John Clancy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 09:51:05 -0800 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [CubaNews] Havana Radio news Dec 29. Focus Culture from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subject: Havana Radio news Dec 29. Focus Culture Radio Havana Cuba-29 December 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 29 December 2000 . *CUBANS READY TO CELEBRATE THE REVOLUTION, AND A BETTER YEAR *ICAP WELCOMES THE SOUTHERN CROSS BRIGADE *WOMEN HOLD 52% OF EXECUTIVE POSITIONS IN CUBA'S MAJOR LABOR ORGANIZATION *SPORTS BUDGET TO INCREASE IN 2001 *CUBA TO FOCUS ON CULTURE IN THE NEW CENTURY . *CUBANS READY TO CELEBRATE THE REVOLUTION, AND A BETTER YEAR Havana, December 29 (RHC)--The Cuban people will celebrate January 1st, the 42nd anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, with countless activities across the island following a year of economic growth and successful foreign policy. Cuba's official Granma daily published a note on Friday announcing the festivities for Monday the 1st January. On Tuesday, January 2nd, festivities will be dedicated to children with a vast number of activities celebrating another year of self-determination, independence and socialism. Renowned cultural groups and artists will perform for Cuban children, as will as circus, theater and musical groups. *ICAP WELCOMES THE SOUTHERN CROSS BRIGADE Havana, December 29 (RHC)--On Friday, Cuba's Friendship Institute, ICAP, announced the arrival in Havana of the Southern Cross Solidarity Brigade made up of 50 Australians who will do voluntary work in the city of Caimito. The Southern Cross Brigade will be sharing the Julio Antonio Mella Camp with the Nordic Brigade made up of 150 Europeans from Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Britain, Belgium and Turkey. Both groups will join in festivities for the 42nd anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. Meanwhile, the President of ICAP, Sergio Corrieri, said in Havana that the Revolution made the right move in creating the organization 40 years ago in order to provide other peoples with the reality of the island's history. Corrieri participated on Thursday in a Friendship Camp Fire, held in Havana's Lenin Park where festivities on the 40th anniversary of ICAP's birth were celebrated. They included the participation by the diplomatic corps accredited to the island in addition to members of the Nordic Brigade. The Cuban official described the institution's work during the year including the creation of 80 committees from 60 countries seeking the return to Cuba of Elian Gonzalez, as well as the organization of the 2nd World Solidarity Meeting in Havana. The ICAP President pointed out that the main challenge for the future will be to strengthen world solidarity with the Cuban people in countries that lack truthful information about the island. *WOMEN HOLD 52% OF EXECUTIVE POSITIONS IN CUBA'S MAJOR LABOR ORGANIZATION Havana, December 29 (RHC)--The General Secretary of the Cuban Workers Confederation, CTC, Pedro Ross Leal announced on Thursday that women now hold 52 percent of the executive positions within the labor organization. Referring to the high level of women's participation in the leadership of the federation, the CTC general secretary added that this is a product of the island's democracy. Pedro Ross Leal also noted that the CTC congress will be held next April ending with International Workers Day celebrations on May 1. *SPORTS BUDGET TO INCREASE IN 2001 Havana, December 29 (RHC)--The President of the Cuban Sports Institute, Humberto Rodriguez, said on Thursday in Havana that the annual budget for sports will increase in 2001, by 9.5 per cent compared to the year 2000. Most of this budget will be to improve athletes' diet, provide services to retired athletes, and improve sports facilities across the island. In statements to journalists, Rodriguez said next year Cuban volleyball will demonstrate its talent when it defends its title in the World League, and reiterated Cuba's opposition to the International Volleyball Federation's decision not to declare Cuba's women's volleyball team as the best team of the century. He added that Cuban athletes are already preparing for the 2004 Olympics in Athens where the island hopes to improve its 2000 position in the medal standings of the Sydney Olympics where it won 11 gold medals, 11 silver and 7 bronze. Viewpoint: *CUBA TO FOCUS ON CULTURE IN THE NEW CENTURY During the last forty-two years there has been a special emphasis on free education for all Cubans, reflected in the number of skilled specialists workng on resolving the socio-economic problems of the country and planning its further development. This exercise has continued in spite of the blockade and economic war waged by our neighbour the U.S. One of the most significant aspects of the educational system is the number of trained Cubans in the scientific and technical areas, whose expertise is already recognized as one of the most important contributions to the world of science and technology. In fact, one out of seven workers has a university degree and the 630,000 graduates at this level can, and do, avail themselves of courses to improve and up-date their technical knowledge. The country already has the highest ratios of doctors and teachers per inhabitant in the world. Now the emphasis will be on an integrated and cultural education for all people. In this computer and information age, specialized knowledge is needed to access information. This creates a further division between the rich and poor as computers and computer knowledge is only accessible to a part of the population of each country. This has the effect of reducing access to learning. However, to enjoy radio and televison it isn't neccessary to have the same technical knowledge as computer operators, it is enough to sit and listen and, of course, to assimilate and analyse the contents. Cuba has recently started radio and television programs called the University for All which offers several courses on literature and art appreciation, foreign languages, and narrative techniques which will be shown at a later date. Parallel to this, the courses can be purchased at a very low price, from local newsagents. One of the most positive and immediate results has been a renewal of interest in learning, reading good literary works, and in the value of libraries, museums and other cultural activities. The object set by the Cuban government to vastly improve its people's cultural knowledge has taken off with great success. The New Year promises even better results. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] =================================================== rhc-eng-1582 2000-Dec-30 03:40:10 " JC -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> eGroups eLerts It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free! http://click.egroups.com/1/9698/0/_/_/_/978216770/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> Post comments to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send an email to subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe from this CubaNews group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
