Salazar, the event’s artistic director, addressed, from the Happy Heart House in Old Havana, a culinary landscape and a range of expressions that reveal the richness of the national puppet.

  He explained that denying Pelusín del Monte’s Cuban identity because of his appearance—blond hair and light eyes—is to ignore the heritage of Cuban childhood from 1956 to 2026.

  In that vein, singer-songwriter Lidis Lamoru presented the paper “Children’s Music s a Distinctive Element in Child Development.”

  Also noteworthy was the news that several prominent figures in Cuban children’s music, such as Teresita Fernández, Liuba Maria Hevia, Kiki Corona, Rita del Prado, Rosa Campos, and Lidis Lamoru, are being recognized as leading figures in child development.

  Other initiatives on this first day included the donation of a guitar belonging to Rita del Prado to the Casa Corazon Feliz (Happy Heart House), as well as an opportunity to learn about the life and work of Rosa Campos.

  Under the musical direction of Rodrigo Garcia Ameneiro and the artistic direction of Ruben Dario Salazar and Zenen Calero, the event will conclude on May 31st with the promise of showcasing a range of creative collaborations and premieres of high artistic value.

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