The activity was presided over by the Cuban ambassador to this European country, Mirta Granda, who highlighted that Done’s life “is one of the most sublime symbols of the brotherhood of our peoples, which is achieved when struggles are shared to attain the ideals of justice and freedom.”

The event was part of the celebration on December 2nd of the 79th anniversary of the landing of the yacht Granma, which from the Mexican port of Tuxpan carried 82 expeditionaries to the shores of Cuba to begin a new phase of the struggle for the true freedom of that nation.

The diplomat thanked those attending the presentation of the book “The Life of Gino Done, Italian Partisan and Cuban Revolutionary,” including a broad representation from various sectors of the country’s society close to the Island, as well as members of the community of nationals residing in Italy.

Granda highlighted the importance of this initiative, promoted by the National Association of Italy-Cuba Friendship (Anaic), and particularly recognized its authors, member of the organization Pier Carlo Porporato and Cuban journalist and historian Daily Sanchez Lemus, for their dedication in bringing this work to fruition.

Video messages were presented to the participants by the president of the Cuban Friendship Institute (ICAP), Fernando Gonzalez, as well as Rene Gonzalez, director of Fidel Castro Ruz Center, and the co-author of the book, who highlighted the life of Gino Done.

His last meeting with the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro was in 2005, during the July 26th event for the 52nd anniversary of the assaults on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes barracks, when he told him in a heartfelt embrace that “I will be with you until the last drop of my blood,” and as a final request, he asked that his remains be brought to Cuba to rest alongside his Granma comrades.

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