The opening ceremony of the Russian-Cuban expert week “¡Rusia y Cuba juntos para siempre!”
On December 12th opening ceremony of the Russian-Cuban expert week “¡Rusia y Cuba juntos para siempre!” was held on topic “Modern trends in the development of humanitarian cooperation in the field of education, science and culture”.
Russian-Cuban week is an annual international event aimed at strengthening relations between Russia and Cuba. Thematic week traditionally begins with opening ceremony, which is dedicated to summing up results of the outgoing year in the context of international communication and the formation of a roadmap for mutual interaction next year 2023.
Event had become a platform where speakers could present their reports on such important issues as the impact of international relations on the Russia and Cuba state municipal management; prospects for Russian-Cuban humanitarian cooperation; multipolarity of modern international relations; participation of Russia and Cuba in cooperative international projects in education, science and cultural areas.
Dmitry Butashin, vice-rector of the RANEPA, said a welcoming speech: “Russian-Cuban relations have always been very close and friendly. There is large economic interaction between our countries, dating back to the Soviet period. Cuba is currently one of Russia’s key partners in Caribbean region. Every year we hold events that prove the mutual interest in further deepening partnership contacts. I am sure that interesting and promising joint projects await us in the future”.
Mercedes Delgado Fernandez, rector of the Higher School of State and Government Personnel of Cuba, warmly welcomed the participants of the event. She touched upon such an important topic as current trends in the civil servant training. She said that joint Russian-Cuban cooperation between the two higher educational institutions is the key to the success of the implemented scientific discoveries and technologies, which are impossible without the development of higher education. She added that only by increasing the experience of cooperation and internationalization we can achieve results. And rector quoted the words of the President of Cuba: “Russia will always be a friend of Cuba”.
Julio Antonio Garmendia Peña, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to the Russian Federation, noted that international ties continue to develop and are oriented towards the future. This confirms the regularity of Russian-Cuban contacts and the active dialogue at various levels. It is important to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of healthcare, education and other forms of strengthening Russian-Cuban cooperation in information technology.
At the beginning of the event, the moderators of the opening ceremony thanked colleagues and speakers, noting the importance of collaboration work on a number of issues: Ruslan Korchagin, acting director of the IPACS RANEPA emphasized: “Cooperation is a common mission, we strive to unite countries and move forward together”.
Karolina Sikirinskaya, head of the International Cooperation Department of the IPACS RANEPA, noted: “Russian-Cuban relations reflect for us an important trend of positive interaction in the educational, economic, scientific, cultural areas and even more! Its strong friendship first of all”.
In addition, other representatives of the Institute of public administration and civil service spoke at the expert week: Elena Beshkinskaya, dean of the faculty of state and municipal administration; Elena Kireeva, dean of the faculty of human resources management and civil service; Yuri Boykov, deputy dean of the faculty of international and regional studies and regional management for international affairs; Maxim Prokoshin, program director for the faculty of state and municipal administration.
Speakers touched upon very important topics related to various vectors of interaction between Russia and Cuba. Nadezhda Bychkova, vice-president of the All-Russian Public Organization of Solidarity and Cooperation with the Republic of Cuba “Russian Society for Friendship with Cuba” (RODC) shared: “The world is based on friendship. I believe that the friendship between Cuba and Russia has been tested not only for years, but even for decades”. Speaker also noted that on November 22, a monument to Fidel Castro was unveiled on Novopeschanaya Street in Moscow. The ceremony was attended by the presidents of Russia and Cuba, as well as the Russian Society for Friendship with Cuba.
Sergei Oboznov, advisor to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Cuba, said: “The theme of the comprehensive development of relations between our countries is always relevant, we are united by a relationship of gratitude and sympathy”.
Antonio Carricarte Corona, president of Republic of Cuba chamber of commerce, said in his speech: “Our relationship has been fruitful and close for about 25 years. The memorandum on the principles of strategic cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Cuba is another important milestone for us. We expect 2 million tourists this year, thanks to which the country’s GDP will increase by 2%. The Republic of Cuba is a bridge for sale of Russian products in the Caribbean region”.
Nelida Moreira Guerra, deputy director for European Direction of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investments of the Republic of Cuba: “In the trade exchange, Russia remains as the fifth partner in the world and the second in Europe. It is important to achieve an increase in Cuban exports to the Russian market”. The speaker also noted the importance of the adopted projects within the framework of one of the key events in Russian-Cuban cooperation – the signing and updating of the strategic plan for the development of trade and economic cooperation until 2030.
Sergey Tikhonov, first secretary of the Latin American Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, said: “Joint work will allow us to move forward, expert exchange allows us to take a fresh look at the situation and find new ways to solve problems that are in demand”. His words were supported by Larisa Taradina, director for the Development of International Education and Cooperation at the RANEPA, who also noted that a special “thread” is needed not only for business cooperation, but also at the human level.
Also, the following invited speakers took an active part in the discussion and presentations: Miriam Alpizar Santana, deputy Minister of Higher Education of the Republic of Cuba; Igor Lukyanov, deputy chairman of the Fond of the Fidel Castro Foundation for the Promotion of Russian-Cuban Relations; Noemi Rabaza Fernandez, first vice-president of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with Peoples (ICAP); Elena Serebryakova, deputy general director for Culture and Communications of the Russian Latin American House Association; Alexander Seregin-Castro, member of the Coordinating Council of the Russian-Latin American House Association; Lilia Maria Zamora Rodriguez, director of Latin America and the Caribbean at the Cuban Institute for Friendship with Peoples (ICAP).
The following invited honorary experts shared their comments during the conversation: Igor Podshivalov, deputy general director for Economic Cooperation of the Russian Latin American House Association; Evgeny Shchukin, executive director of the Russian-Cuban Business Union Association; Nikolai Dmitriev, secretary of the All-Russian Public Organization of Solidarity and Cooperation with the Republic of Cuba “Russian Society of Friendship with Cuba”; Natalya Makarova, adviser of the Department for Industry Relations of KompleksProm JSC; Katyuska Cuenca Garcell, senior policy specialist, Business and Foreign Investment Division, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cuba; Israel Almeida Molina, trade policy specialist at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment of the Republic of Cuba.