Issued Wed, 27 Aug 97 20:36:36 EDT CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA August 26, 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 Tuesday, August 26, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- EVERYTHING IS READY FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IN CUBA 2.- THE DEATH OF A FRIEND * CLODOMIRO ALMEYDA DEAD AT AGE 75 3.- BRAZILIAN ARTISTS DONATE PAINTINGS TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE 4.- RURAL COMMUNITIES BENEFIT FROM WATER SYSTEMS 5.- PABLO MILANES KEEPS THEM CALLING FOR MORE EVERYTHING IS READY FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IN CUBA Havana, August 26(RHC)-- Next Monday, September 1st, tens of thousands of students will head for their classrooms. The first day of school is always a big day for all Cuban children as well as their parents. And everything is ready to receive the eager youngsters next week. A total of two million students will start classes on Monday. More than 197,000 teachers -- one of the most revered professions in Cuba -- are busy preparing their lessons. Cuba holds the world's record in teacher to student ratio -- with one teacher for every 45 inhabitants. While Cuban children enjoyed their vacations during July and August, a number of construction brigades and community volunteers were busy repairing schools. To date, almost all of the island's 12,000 schools have been refurbished. On Monday, the Ciudad Escolar Libertad -- the largest military garrison during the Batista dictatorship, which was turned into a school and scientific complex after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959 -- will be the site of the inaugural ceremony for the new school year. THE DEATH OF A FRIEND * CLODOMIRO ALMEYDA DEAD AT AGE 75 Havana, August 26(RHC)-- Today's edition of the Cuban daily published an article entitled "The Death of a Friend" -- a tribute to Clodomiro Almeyda. The Chilean Socialist leader died yesterday in Santiago de Chile at the age of 75 after a long illness. The Cuban daily affirms that with the death of Almeyda, Chile has lost one of its most important political and diplomatic personalities. As a veteran leader of the Chilean Socialist Party, Clodomiro Almeyda was one of the main supporters of constitutionally-elected President Salvador Allende. He held a number of important governmental positions in Allende's administration, including Vice President, Foreign Minister, Minister of Defense and Interior Minister. Following the bloody military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet in September 1973, Almeyda was apprehended, tortured and confined to a concentration camp on Dawson Island, off the southern coast of Chile. Two years later and as a result of an international campaign for his release, he was expelled from Chile. He lived in exile in Germany and Mexico. Clodomiro Almeyda clandestinely returned to Chile in 1987 to help organize the resistance movement against the military dictatorship. In 1990, with the return to civilian rule, the socialist leader was appointed Chilean Ambassador to Russia by then-President Patricio Aylwin. He served in Moscow until 1992. Over the past several years, until his death yesterday, Clodomiro Almeyda suffered from cancer. The Chilean government has declared a three-day, official mourning period. The Cuban daily Granma says that with the passing of Clodomiro, the Cuban Revolution has lost a true friend. BRAZILIAN ARTISTS DONATE PAINTINGS TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE Rio de Janeiro, August 26(RHC)-- Solidarity has many expressions and culture is perhaps one of the most beautiful feature of all. It was announced in Rio de Janeiro that seven Brazilian artists will donate 42 of their paintings to the Cuban people. A presentation ceremony is scheduled to take place with the arrival in Havana of several members of the CUBA-BRAZIL Friendship Association. The delegation will travel to Cuba on the fourth Solidarity Flight from Brazil. The President of the CUBA-BRAZIL Friendship Association, Artur Poerner, recalled that since the creation of the solidarity organization in 1993, many of its members commemorate Brazil's Independence Day -- celebrated on September 7th -- in Cuba. RURAL COMMUNITIES BENEFIT FROM WATER SYSTEMS Havana, August 26(RHC)-- Water systems are now benefiting more than 700 rural and mountain communities. According to the latest estimates, the National Institute of Water Resources has served more than three million Cubans since it was created thirty years ago. The National Institute of Water Resources reports that it plans to provide services to another 500 communities before the end of this year. Efforts are aimed at supplying running- water to the entire Cuban population before the year 2000. PABLO MILANES KEEPS THEM CALLING FOR MORE New York City, August 26(RHC)-- Last night at the Lincoln Center in New York City, the magic of his music attracted thousands. It was Pablo Milanes, live and in concert. The audience -- primarily young Latinos -- was captivated by Pablo's magical blend of words and music. The 54 year-old composer of "Yolanda" -- one of the founding members of the Cuban New Song Movement, together with singer/songwriter Silvio Rodriguez -- was called back time and again for more. Pablo Milanes performed several successful concerts over the weekend in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He had been denied entry into the U.S. and Puerto Rico for more than ten years. Next week, Pablo will travel to Madrid where he will launch his latest CD entitled "Despertar." [c] 1997. 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