The majestic meeting is also attended by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, who alongside Deputy Prime Minister Ines Maria Chapman and Culture Minister Alpidio Alonso, are Cuba’s highest authorities at the meeting.

During the opening ceremony, Alonso warned that humankind is witnessing a scenario alive with a multi-systemic crisis that impacts on all sectors of social and economic life, including culture.

He also condemned that Cuba´s major obstacle for its economic development is the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States for over 60 years.

In this regard, Alonso stressed that the hostile US policy towards Cuba is also Cuba´s greatest obstacle to cultural development, hence boosting culture as a global public good and a transcendental human right is number-one priority.

The Cultural Heritage Center Director Lazare Assomo turned the spotlight on social and economic instability driven by the Covid-19 pandemic and its negative impact on culture funding.

The meeting is expected to adopt a final declaration aimed at concrete actions to promote culture and its link with multilateralism.

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