CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA December 17, 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Wednesday, December 17, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- UNESCO'S DIRECTOR GENERAL RECEIVES JOSE MARTI ORDER 2.- WRITERS AND ARTISTS UNION MEETING WINDS UP IN HAVANA 3.- SPANISH CULTURAL CENTER INAUGURATED TUESDAY EVENING 4.- CUBAN JAZZ FESTIVAL KICKS OFF WITH OUTSTANDING JAZZ MUSICIANS 5.- LAOTIAN PRESIDENT NOUHAK PHOUMSAVANH MEETS CUBAN DELEGATION 6.- SECOND IBEROAMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN INTERNET COURSE UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL UNESCO'S DIRECTOR GENERAL RECEIVES JOSE MARTI ORDER Havana, December 17(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro awarded the Jose Marti Order to UNESCO's Director General Federico Mayor in Havana's Revolution Palace Tuesday night. The Order is Cuba's highest distinction and bears the name of Cuban National Hero Jose Marti. During the ceremony, Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto stressed the basic elements of Mayor's thinking and action, including the importance he gives to the concept of ethical heritage, his support for education linked to freedom and the broadening of human potentials, his rejection of inequalities and hegemonic globalization and his constant concern for underdeveloped nations. Prieto also highlighted Mayor's efforts to increase UNESCO's links with Cuba in the areas of education, science, culture, information and communication, stressing his dignified and consistent position in favor of Cuba and the ethical roots of his ideas. Upon receiving the order, the Director General of UNESCO expressed concern over the existence of a world order in which people have been forced to believe that human well- being only depends on material things and came out for "a test of love," paraphrasing words by Jose Marti. The awards ceremony was attended by Cuban government ministers, intellectuals, academics and representatives of the United Nations agencies in Cuba. Arriving in the Cuban capital on Monday, Federico Mayor told journalists that he brought a present for the people of Cuba: an anthology of Cuban poetry published by UNESCO in Spain. WRITERS AND ARTISTS UNION MEETING WINDS UP IN HAVANA Havana, December 17(RHC)-- The National Council of the Cuban Writers and Artists Union -- UNEAC -- concluded a meeting in the Cuban capital with a call to defend the country's culture. At the closing ceremony, Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto stressed the importance of UNEAC as "a vanguard organization which plays an essential role to preserve culture in Cuban society." Prieto stated that is was important to stop the flow of professionals not only from the provinces to the capital but also from the municipalities to the provincial capitals. Prieto came out for a system of priorities to allot scarce resources to several deteriorated cultural sites islandwide. It was also announced during the closing session that the reconstruction of Havana's Amadeo Roldan Theater -- the home of the National Symphony Orchestra -- will be completed next year. To prioritize reading, cultural education and links between the island's culture and the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television were also among the many issues dealt with by the Minister in his closing address. With regard to the commercialization of culture, Prieto said that the island has to obtain the largest amount of income from the cultural activity without making ethical or aesthetic concessions. During the last session of UNEAC's National Council, several voices were raised regarding the need to link tourism with local cultural activities, including museums and cultural institutions in all corners of the country. SPANISH CULTURAL CENTER INAUGURATED TUESDAY EVENING Havana, December 17(RHC)-- The first stage of Spain's Cultural Center in Havana was inaugurated Tuesday evening as part of activities marking the end of the Spanish- Cuban-American War in 1898. During that conflict, the United States took over the Spanish colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. The Spanish center's first facility is the Dulce Maria Loynaz Hall, dedicated to the renowned Cuban poet who won the Cervantes Literature Prize in 1992. The hall's opening last night began with a master lecture by Joaquin Ruiz Jimenez as well as a poetry reading by Spanish poet Rafael Alberti's daughter, Aitana Alberti. Spanish playwriter Luis Pascual also recited poetry by Andalucian writer, Federico Garcia Lorca. The opening was attended by Spain's Special Ambassador to the Commemorations marking the Centennial of 1898, Fernando Gonzalez Camino, and Spain's charge d'affairs in Havana, Javier Sandomingo. Deputy Cuban Foreign Minister Isabel Allende, Vice Minister of Culture Norberto Hernandez and Havana City historian Eusebio Leal were also on hand. Center Director and Spanish Cultural Attache Ion de la Riva said he hoped the facility will help develop cultural and educational exchange between Cuba and Spain, adding that the Center will serve the island's culture. It is located in Las Cariatides Building just off the Malecon -- Havana's Seaside Drive. The building was recently refurbished at a cost of 1.2 million dollars. CUBAN JAZZ FESTIVAL KICKS OFF WITH OUTSTANDING JAZZ MUSICIANS Havana, December 17(RHC)-- An encounter between renowned Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes and famous U.S. jazz musicians will take place at the 17th edition of the Plaza '97 Jazz Festival, which kicks off in Havana Wednesday. This year's festival is dedicated to outstanding British musician Ronnie Scott and its venus will be the Plaza Cultural House, the National Theater's Covarrubias Hall, La Zorra y El Cuervo Nightclub, La Roca Restaurant, the National Journalist Union and the Riviera Hotel. At a news conference in Havana's International Press Center -- the CPI -- Festival President Chucho Valdes said that this year's event will be the best in attendance and quality. Renowned U.S. jazz musicians Roy Hardgrove, Steve Coleman, David Sanchez, Douglas Ewart and others will be on hand. U.S. pianist Billy Taylor is a special guest at the festival. Other international figures attending the cultural event are Iosvani Hidalgo, David Sanchez and his quintet Machete Ensemble from the United States, Janet Burnett from Canada, Nora Sarmoris from Argentina, Big Band from Switzerland, El Espiritu de la Mision from Mexico and France's Sophie Domancich. LAOTIAN PRESIDENT NOUHAK PHOUMSAVANH MEETS CUBAN DELEGATION Vientiane, December 17(RHC)-- The President of the People's Democratic Republic of Laos, Nouhak Phoumsavanh, met Wednesday with the Cuban delegation which is participating in the 7th Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. The bilateral commission has been meeting in the Laotian capital since Sunday. The Cuban delegation is headed by Deputy Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Lazaro Perez. Talks have explored new ways of increasing economic relations and cooperation in areas like health, construction, sports, the sugar industry, electricity, agriculture and the sale of medicines and biotechnological products. SECOND IBEROAMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN INTERNET COURSE UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, December 17(RHC)-- The Second International Latin American and Caribbean Course for Internet Users, Professors and Scientists began in the Cuban capital Tuesday under the sponsorship of UNESCO. Organizers say that the encounter is designed to train professionals in the use of the so-called `network of networks' -- the Internet -- and its importance as a source of information, communication and business. Attending the special course are 30 Cuban representatives as well as women from Venezuela, Mexico and El Salvador. During the one week course, participants will receive information on the evolutionary growth of the Internet, its services, characteristics and advantages. [c] 1997. Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. 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