In its thirteenth edition, it will take place this weekend in the spacious grounds of the Ostend racecourse, a coastal resort city in northern Belgium.

Normally a cold area at this time of year, the weather was warm with a blue sky to welcome the thousands of attendees who enjoyed multiple activities.

ManiFiesta is two days to see the world as it should be, imagine alternatives for a better future, come together to take action, the organizers conceive.

“At ManiFiesta we speak the language of solidarity and diversity”, Raoul Hedebouw, president of the PTB and member of Parliament, emphasized at the opening ceremony.

He also called on the audience to “add a stone to the edifice of change and have fun with us, because ManiFiesta is, above all, the Festival of Solidarity.”

Some two thousand volunteers contributed to erecting 50 tents and pavilions in the national area, plus 30 in the so-called International Village where some 25 countries are represented.

The program for the two days of the event includes more than 600 political, cultural, recreational, sports and literary activities.

The Cuba Pavilion hosted three panels, among other activities, such as a salsa class, which addressed current events and denounced the harsh economic war of the United States government against the neighboring island.

During the opening ceremony, unity was called to consolidate peace, defend the environment; In particular, the assassination of Salvador Allende in the bloody coup d’état of September 11, 1973 was remembered, and the creation of a Palestinian State was demanded.

The speakers agreed to call for leaving Ostend with more energy and enthusiasm to change the world and history on the basis of peace, justice and equity.

ef/lam/mh