Radio Havana Cuba-15 June 2000 09:00 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 15 June 2000 09:00 *PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, LEONID KUCHMA, TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA *CHILDEN IN HAVANA CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS OF CHE AND ANTONIO MACEO *CONGRESS ON HYPERTENSION UNDERWAY IN HAVANA *HEALTH: HIV RATE IN HAVANA DECREASES IN FIRST 5 MONTHS OF 2000 *CONGRESS ON SUGAR AND SUGAR DERIVATIVES CONTINUES IN HAVANA *HOUSING: CUBA A CANDIDATE FOR UN'S HABITAT PRIZE *Viewpoint--AN EDUCATED PEOPLE: THE CORNERSTONE OF CUBA'S SUCCESSFUL REVOLUTION *PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, LEONID KUCHMA, TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA Havana, June 14, (RHC) -- The President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, will begin Thursday an official visit to Cuba -- the first such visit by a leader of that former Soviet Republic. The visiting dignatary will reportedly decorate Cuban President Fidel Castro with one of his nation's highest distinctions in recognition of Cuba's rehabilitation program for Ukrainians -- particularly children -- affected by the Chernobil nuclear catastrophe. During the past more than 10 years, the government of Cuba has provided free medical assistance to some 18 thousand people affected by the disaster from both Ukraine and Belorussia. Of that amount, 15 thousand 800 were children attended to in a special sanotorium near a beach some 15 kilometers east of Havana, which includes recreation programs with sports and cultural activities. *CHILDREN IN HAVANA CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS OF CHE AND ANTONIO MACEO Havana, June 14 (RHC)-Over 6 thousand school children from Havana City became members of the Young Communist League on Wednesday on the occasion of the birth of heroic guerrilla Ernesto Che Guevara and independence hero Antonio Maceo during an activity at the Jose Marti Anti Imperialist Tribune alongside Havana's Malecon Seaside Drive. With the presence of Cuban President Fidel Castro, thousands of school children promised to continue the struggle for the return of six year old Elian Gonzalez in addition to commemorating the birth of both Ernesto Che Guevara and Antonio Maceo. The new members of the Young Communist League, the UJC, received their membership cards from Cuban President Fidel Castro, in the presence of other government leaders and their parents. Outstanding students and student leaders addressed the participants, vowing to live up to the honor and challenges of belonging to the UJC. *CONGRESS ON HYPERTENSION UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, June 14 (RHC)--Hypertension, one of the main risk factors for heart and neuro-vascular diseases and kidney failure, is the issue on hand at the lst Cuban Congress and the 4th Caribbean Encounter on Hypertension. Both opened Wednesday morning at the Havana Libre Hotel, here in the Cuban capital. The event -that winds up June 16th- will be attended by some 600 experts from Iberoamerica and the Caribbean. Dr. Peter Slight, president of the World League on High Blood Pressure, will be one of its guests of honor. 30% of Cubans suffer from high blood pressure, which is the most frequent chronic disease among adults. According to World Health Organization statistics, today there are over 600 million people in the world whose blood pressure is above normal. Hypertension is one of the major causes of death in Cuba and the world. *HEALTH: HIV RATE IN HAVANA DECREASES IN FIRST 5 MONTHS OF 2000 Havana, June 14 (RHC)-Cases of HIV have decreased so far this year in Havana City, especially among homosexuals. The Deputy Director of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Dr. Otto Pelaez, explained that until May of this year there were 272 new cases of a total of one thousand 444. Health experts expect to finish the year with 300 new cases. The Cuban expert added that 82.4 per cent of the total HIV cases are men and among them the most vulnerable are homosexuals. He reiterated the need to strengthen preventive measures in this area. For the year 2010 Cuba will have some 7 thousand 500 people with HIV and some 60 per cent of the patients will be from Havana City. *CONGRESS ON SUGAR AND SUGAR DERIVATIVES CONTINUES IN HAVANA Havana, June 14 (RHC)- Sugar cane derivatives and the protection of the environment were some of the main issues discussed Wednesday in Havana during the 6th International Congress on Sugar and Sugar Derivatives being held at Havana's International Convention Center, entitled Diversification 2000. With the participation of over 350 delegates from some 15 countries, the 6th International Congress on Sugar and Sugar Derivatives is headed by the Director of Industrial Promotion of Latin American and Caribbean sugar exporting countries, Dr. Marianela Cordoves. The objective of this conference is to design sustainable development progrmas for the sugar industry as well as projects aimed at the integration of this industrial sector into national policies of environmental protection. Among other issues of interest for the participants are new concepts of sugar agriculture on the threshold of the new millenium, current tendencies in the sugar cane derivatives industry and clean technology. The event is sponsored by the International Sugar Organization, Cuba's Sugar Ministry and other scientific and productive institutions related to this productive sphere. *HOUSING: CUBA A CANDIDATE FOR UN'S HABITAT PRIZE Havana, June 14 (RHC)-Cuba is among the candidates to receive the Habitat Prize from the United Nations to be held at month's end in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This prize is in recognition of the work of those countries that have improved the living conditions of its population in the construction of homes. The Habitat prize was created in 1996 during the second UN Conference on Human Settlements. *Viewpoint AN EDUCATED PEOPLE: THE CORNERSTONE OF CUBA'S SUCCESSFUL REVOLUTION As Cuban National Hero Jose Marti stated more than 100 years ago, a truly free nation is one with a well-educated people. That was the principle, guiding a recent meeting of Cuban artists and writers, which was presided over by Cuban President Fidel Castro. The event served to underscore the current state of cultural development on the island, as well as to draw new strategies to meet this goal, a national priority since the very triumph of the Revolution. The aim, since 1959, has been to take cultural development to the homes of every working Cuban family. Consequently, the nation maintains an internationally recognized public education system, which began 40 years ago in the wake of a massive literacy campaign conducted nation-wide. Education in Cuba is free and accessible, providing for the training of thousands of highly skilled professionals every year in the most diverse spheres of knowledge. Cuban intellectuals are also trained in firm principles of friendship and solidarity. Hence, they are willing do voluntary work in other Third World nations seriously affected by ignorance and poverty -- a direct consequence of the ever-growing social injustice which predominates in today's unipolar world. A strong cultural movement is currently underway in Cuba, taking literature and art to every corner of our nation. The aim is that the entire Cuban people enjoy educational benefits, which in other societies, are the privileges of a relatively small sector. Popular culture has capacitated the Cuban community with both intellect, and practical skills, which it has been able to use in the structural improvement of basic living conditions. Cuba has been able to resist all kinds of pressures and conspiracies, by the enemies of the Revolution, thanks to the powerful weapons that make our people undefeatable - those being our ideals and principles concerning equality and social justice. In keeping with those principles, the island has been able to do a great deal for other impoverished nations, primarily in the areas of medicine and education, much more than all the combined efforts of the industrialized nations. That has been possible, in light of a small resource base, because the Cuban people maintain a high level academic preparation, and a firm grasp over the concepts of friendship, solidarity and love, which should be the basis of every human effort. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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