>From February 3-7, a Conference on Education took place in Havana, Cuba with the participation of over 6,000 teachers, professors and specialists in the field of education. The topic was: "Forum for the Unity of Latin-American Educators" and delegates came from over twenty countries, including countries such as Canada, Spain, Portugal and Australia, besides countries of Latin America and the West Indies. They exchanged experiences, discussed the results of their research and together sought answers to different questions. Altogether nineteen workshops were organized to allow for a better exchange between delegates. The workshops dealt with a variety of questions concerning education, from pre-school education to post-university education, including special education, adult education, work training and educational technology. Several workshops dealt with the different new approaches in education, including the education policy of different countries of Latin America and especially the health and education policy of Cuba. Altogether over 1,200 presentations were made, not including the special conferences, the round tables and panel discussions that took place throughout the conference. Cubans themselves made over 500 presentations and Brazilians over 200. A Canadian delegation comprised of nine specialists was taking part for the second time. The Canadian delegates were from the University of Quebec in Montreal, the University of Montreal, Laval University and a high school. They made five presentations which were all well received and raised a lot of interest. The Canadian delegation also held a meeting with the director of International Relations for the Cuban Ministry of Education and the Cuban representative responsible for developing relations with Canada. This meeting, which took place on the invitation of the Cuban Ministry of Education, made it possible to have direct exchanges on questions of mutual interest. Furthermore, links were established with two schools in Havana to start a correspondence project between the teachers and students of both countries. It is hoped that the project will lead to student exchanges between the participating schools. Besides the workshops, other important salient features of the conference included the opening session with the speech of the Cuban Minister of Education which presented the orientation of the conference and the work in the field of education in Cuba; the opening performance given by primary school children. Other events such as the cultural gala and the fiesta at the end of the conference were also greatly appreciated by delegates. But the most marked event was without contest the daily participation of Cuban President Fidel Castro in the conference. Fidel Castro participated in the company of the ministers of External Affairs, Education and Health who also presided over three special conferences on the problems faced by the Cuban people. The presentations made at these special conferences informed the participants of the criminal plans of the U.S. towards Cuba, specifically as concerns the latest provocation in the form of a four page document entitled "Plan for the Democratization of Cuba", which details Bill Clinton's plan for a transition from the Cuban socialist system to a capitalist system. On many occasions, and especially during his intervention at the closing session of the conference, Fidel Castro exposed the plans of the U.S. and reiterated that the Cuban people will never give in to U.S. threats and blackmail. He said that the Cuban socialist revolution will continue to develop. He said that many peoples of the world fighting for their independence have turned their eyes to Cuba and feel inspired by its example. He added that Cuba has responsibility towards its own people and the peoples of Latin America and the West Indies, but also towards all the peoples of the world. He called on the participants to continue their work to reverse the anti-social policies being implemented in every country. The Congress concluded in an atmosphere of confidence and unity with the Cuban people and a commitment of all participants to work in their respective countries to advance the struggle for the reversal of the anti-social policies and for the education of their people, for a democratization of the political systems that will place human beings at the center of all development. The final declaration called for the strengthening of the unity between the peoples of the Americas and the West Indies, expressed support for the struggle of the Cuban people for their independence and the denunciation of the U.S. blockade against Cuba. Call to Educators to Work for Unity and the Preservation of Identity At the inauguration of Pedagogy '97, Cuban Education Minister Luis Gomez issued a call to latin American teachers and professors to work for unity and the preservation of identity. They must work to create awareness about saving Latin American and national identities, he said, within the conditions when an agenda of globalization and the destruction of national projects is ruling the world. Schools in Latin America, he added, can and must be the source of Latin America and Ibero-American culture, diverse, but with a vision of unity. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]