CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA August 4, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Monday, August 4, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES MARK THE DAY OF THE AMERICAS DURING 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ATTENDS RECEPTION OF 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS 3.- ANTI-IMPERIALIST TRIBUNAL CONCLUDES SESSIONS IN HAVANA 4.- COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS AWARDED TO FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS 5.- SOLIDARITY ACTIVISTS CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS ON OCTOBER 10th 6.- FOREIGN STUDENTS GRADUATED IN CUBA "RETURN TO THEIR BEAUTIFUL CUBA" 7.- THE SOLUTION TO TODAY'S PROBLEMS LIES IN REVITALIZING CHE'S IDEAS 8.- BOMBING AT HAVANA HOTEL WILL NOT CHANGE SPANISH HOTEL'S POLICIES 9.- LABOR LEADERS BEGIN ARRIVING IN HAVANA FOR MEETING AGAINST NEOLIBERALISM AND GLOBALIZATION WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES MARK THE DAY OF THE AMERICAS DURING 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS Havana, August 4(RHC)-- Monday -- the eighth day of the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students -- was dedicated to the Americas. The day began with a meeting between Brazilian theologian Frei Betto and solidarity activists to discuss plans for October 8th, the day when the world commemorates Heroic Guerrilla Ernesto Che Guevara's death in combat in Bolivia. Afterwards, participants got a glimpse of Che through the testimonial presentations by some of those who actually worked and fought together with the legendary leader. The book "Ciudano del Mundo" or "Citizen of the World" was also presented followed by Cuban singer-song writer Santiago Feliu's documentary film "Canto Epico a la Ternura" or "Epic Song of Tenderness," both dealing with Che Guevara. To end the days activities, a concert with members of the Cuban New Song Movement -- singer-songwriter Silvio Rodriguez, Sara Gonzalez, Noel Nicola, Vicente Feliu, Amaury Perez and Gerardo Alfonso. In addition, international guests performed for delegates and participants: Argentinean singer Rafael Amor, Alejandro Garcia from Mexico and others entertained delegates and guests. The evening ended with the performance of the group Mezcla. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ATTENDS RECEPTION OF 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS Havana, August 4(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro attended a reception held over the weekend by the island's Organizing Committee of the World Youth Festival to honor the Festival's special foreign guests and the International Coordinating Committee. On hand were Brazilian liberation theologian Frei Betto; Sandinista Front leader and former Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega; Chilean Communist Party General Secretary Gladys Marin; Puerto Rican freedom fighter Rafael Cancel Miranda; the leader of the Argentinean human rights organization Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, Hebe de Bonafini, as well as several African youth ministers and leaders of youth organizations from Iraq, Syria and Democratic Republic of Korea. ANTI-IMPERIALIST TRIBUNAL CONCLUDES SESSIONS IN HAVANA Havana, August 4(RHC)-- The International Tribunal "Youth Accuses Imperialism" wound up its sessions in Havana over the weekend with a document condemning imperialism. The Tribunal was held as part of activities of the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students. At the closing session, participants adopted a Final Declaration, charging imperialism -- particularly U.S. imperialism -- with being the source for crimes against peace, international security, youth and humanity. The document specifically accuses imperialism "of applying an arbitrary and extraterritorial, interventionist policy; of maintaining colonialism, neocolonialism and occupying foreign territories; of being responsible for various types of aggression, terrorism and the presence of military bases worldwide; of being the source of political, cultural, economic and social evils that affect the world's youth -- flagrantly violating human rights." COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS AWARDED TO FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS Havana, August 4(RHC)-- Foreign student leaders who made the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students a major success received commemorative medals from Cuban Young Communist League's First Secretary, Victoria Velazquez. The youth leader said the Festival has given both Cubans and international participants "a glimpse of a world of peace, friendship and camaraderie." She added that it is inspiring to see youth from around the world who are working to build a new world, free of imperialist exploitation. SOLIDARITY ACTIVISTS CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS ON OCTOBER 10th Havana, August 4(RHC)-- A meeting of Cuba solidarity organizations from the five continents was held at Havana's Convention Center over the weekend. Hundreds of solidarity leaders agreed to call demonstrations for October 10th at U.S. embassies worldwide and to declare 1998 the Year of Solidarity with Cuba. Cubans will commemorate the 129th anniversary of the Cry of Yara on October 10th -- the action that marked the beginning of the island`s first War of Independence against Spanish colonialism. FOREIGN STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED IN CUBA "RETURN TO THEIR BEAUTIFUL CUBA" Havana, August 4(RHC)-- Some 36,000 foreign students from 118 countries have graduated from Cuban universities since 1961. About 200 of them have returned to the island as Festival delegates and held a meeting today called "Returning to My Beautiful Cuba." During the meeting they recalled old times, specifically the significance of having studied in Cuba, and discussed how to maintain closer contacts with the country. Since the Special Period -- or Cuba's economic crisis -- began in the early the 1990's, 15,000 foreign technicians and other professionals have graduated from Cuban universities. THE SOLUTION TO TODAY'S PROBLEMS LIES IN REVITALIZING CHE'S IDEAS Havana, August 4(RHC)-- Brazilian religious leader Frei Betto said in Havana that "the solution to the problems of today's world lies in revitalizing the thinking of guerrilla leader Ernesto Che Guevara." Betto, a special invited guest of the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students, proposed to emphasize Che's image and thinking to counteract Washington's aggressive policies. BOMBING AT HAVANA HOTEL WILL NOT CHANGE SPANISH HOTEL'S POLICIES Palma de Mallorca, August 4(RHC)-- The representative in Cuba of the Spanish Sol Melia hotel chain, Gabriel Canaves, stated that his company will not change its business policy on the island, following an explosion this morning at the Hotel Melia-Cohiba in the Cuban capital. Canaves said that the explosion, which caused no injuries and only minor damage in the hotel's lobby, was obviously carried out by a group or individual who is seeking publicity -- but that such actions would not change the hotel's policies in Cuba. LABOR LEADERS BEGIN ARRIVING IN HAVANA FOR MEETING AGAINST NEOLIBERALISM AND GLOBALIZATION Havana, August 4(RHC)-- The Secretary for Latin America of the International Food, Agriculture and Hotel Workers Union, Enildo Iglesias, arrived in Havana Sunday to attend an international meeting of workers against neoliberalism and globalization scheduled for this week. The International Workers Meeting Confronting Neoliberalism and the Global Economy begins this Wednesday. Participants will analyze possible tactics by the international labor movement to fight imperialist strategies. Meanwhile, over the weekend, more than 90 U.S. delegates to the workers meeting took part in volunteer work alongside Cuban workers at the headquarters of the Steel and Electrical Industry Workers Union. The U.S. delegation, organized by the U.S. trade union solidarity movement -- the U.S./Cuba Labor Exchange -- came out for creating a common front to defend workers' rights. [c] 1997. 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