This is a space for debate and reflection on the current challenges facing culture in Cuba.
The event, held in the Santa Cecilia Convention Hall, brought together prominent figures in the arts, intellectuals, and cultural management, who agreed on the need to preserve indigenous values in the face of globalization and cultural colonization.
Kenny Ortigas, president of the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba in Camagüey, described the meeting as a dream and expressed his gratitude for the government’s support, emphasizing that it is not possible to create culture through harmony.
He added that, although progress is being made toward an ideal, it is not without uncertainty, and emphasized that the colloquium is not a rejection of anything foreign, but rather a revival of expressions such as dance, ballet, and other traditions.
Armando Pérez, president of UNEAC in Camagüey, emphasized in his lecture “Culture and Identity, Pride of Being Cuban”, the importance of defending the national culture against the vulgar, the undignified, and the unpatriotic. Meanwhile, quoting the Argentine singer-songwriter Fito Páez, he reflected on how aesthetic issues evolve in a toxically consumerist world, while the experiences of the heart are devalued.
In the theoretical section, Freddy Núñez Estenoz, director of Teatro del Viento, highlighted the role of the community as a transformative axis, citing the Grupo de Aficionados de Antillana de Acero, whose performances are on par with those of professionals.
The panel “Cultural Programming: Challenges in the Current Context,” moderated by Yuris Norido, vice president of UNEAC, addressed how art can change mentalities even in conditions of scarcity.
Urcinio Rodríguez, president of UNEAC in Guantánamo, quoted Samuel Feijóo to emphasize that art should be a symbol of struggle and resistance.
The event also included the presentation “Ethics, Creation, and Service: Martí’s Paradigm of Light,” by Eliel Gómez, president of the Holguín Provincial Committee. This Saturday, José Rodríguez, director of the Office of the Historian of Camagüey, is expected to speak on “City, Essential Stage: Identity and Nation.” María Teresa Caballero, professor at the University of Camagüey, highlighted the importance of cultural dissemination in communities, affirming that art transforms what discourse cannot. Likewise, emphasis was placed on the revitalization of the amateur artist movement in Cuba, which is key to keeping the national essence alive. With book sales, exhibitions, and debates among the country’s leading scientists and cultural figures, the colloquium reaffirms its commitment to defending Cuban identity, at a time when, as its participants pointed out, the homeland cannot be lost.
ef/ro/fam