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- Written by RATB
The 14th solidarity brigade to socialist Cuba was a resounding success, and the brigadistas who visited Cuba are now taking part in public meetings around the country to report back to people in Britain what they learned from the brigade. We would like to extend our thanks to all those who supported the brigade fundraising to make it a valuable and successful mission.
We are ready to share the lessons learned about socialism, sustainability and solidarity with people here in Britain. Below are the details of our currently arranged report-back meetings taking place in local areas:
BIRMINGHAM:
Cuba: Saving lives across the globe, Friday 24 May, 6.30pm-8.30pm, The Wellington, 37 Bennetts Hill, B2 5SN Facebook event
Cuba, socialism and the environment, Saturday 8 June, 3pm-5.30pm, The Woodman, New Canal St, B5 5LG Facebook event
GLASGOW – Cuban youth today - still revolutionary, Sunday 5 May, 2-5pm, The Flying Duck, 142 Renfield Street G2 3AU Facebook event
LONDON – Eyewitness reports from Cuba, a sustainable socialist society, Wednesday 15 May, 7.30pm, The Union Tavern, 52 Lloyd Baker Street WC1X 9AA Facebook event
North London – Tuesday 28 May, 7.30pm-9.30pm, Oak & Pastor, 86 Junction Road N19 5QZ
East London – Saturday 1 June, 2.30-4.30pm, Sylvia’s Corner, 97 Aldworth Road E15 4DN
South London – Eyewitness reports from Cuba Wednesday 5 June, 7pm, Location TBC Facebook event
West London – Wednesday 12 June, 7.30pm, West London Trade Union Club, 33-35 High Street, W3 6ND
LIVERPOOL – Cuba report: capitalism is extinction, socialism is survival Sunday 19 May, 2-5pm, The Black-E, 1 Great George Street L1 5EW Facebook event
MANCHESTER – Eyewitness reports of the green revolution, Sunday 12 May, 2pm-5pm, Dulcimer Bar, 567 Wilbraham Road M21 0AE Facebook event
NEWCASTLE:
Socialism or extinction - Cuba confronts environmental destruction, Saturday 11 May, Brunswick Methodist Church, Brunswick Place, NE1 7BJ Facebook event
Cuba: resisting the new imperialist offensive on socialism, Monday 20 May, Good Space, Floor 2, Commercial Union House, 39 Pilgrim St, NE1 6QE Facebook event
Cuba: fighting racism and building a society for all, Saturday 8 June, 3pm, The Verb, Upper Level, Eldon Garden NE1 7RA Facebook event
NOTTINGHAM – Cuba: eyewitness reports of the revolution
Sneinton - Monday 6 May, 7.30-9.30pm, St Christopher’s Church, Trent Road NG2 4AL Facebook event
Hockley - Saturday, 25 May, 4pm-7pm, The Hockley Rebel, 9 Broad Street, NG1 3AJ Facebook event
Chesterfield - Sunday 9 June, 3pm-6pm, Chesterfield Library, New Beetwell St, S40 1QN Facebook event
Hyson Green - Wednesday 19 June, 5pm-8pm, Hyson Green Youth Club, Terrace St, NG7 6ER Facebook event
Hockley - Saturday, 20 July, 4pm-7pm, The Hockley Rebel, 9 Broad Street, NG1 3AJ Facebook event
Visit this page regularly and subscribe to the Rock Around The Blockade and FRFI mailing lists to stay up to date on future events we are planning:
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- Written by Lucy Roberts
This April, Rock Around the Blockade held its 14th solidarity brigade to socialist Cuba, celebrating 60 years of the Cuban revolution. 17 activists spent two weeks visiting schools, nurseries, grandparents’ groups, community centres and cooperatives. We held meetings with trade union officials, representatives of the Cuban women’s federation and journalists. In a political act to break the blockade we brought case-loads of musical instruments and children’s toys and donated over £900 to the repair fund following a tornado that tore through Havana in January. A major highlight was the opportunity to visit CENESEX – the National centre for sexual education and discuss with research specialist Anabelise Perdomo Caceres about Cuba’s approach to LGBT rights, including the new constitution and Cuba’s approach to trans-healthcare.
I am a trans woman who has been navigating the NHS care pathway for the last 4 years, so I was keen to find out how my experience compares with Cuba’s approach.
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Today the brigade visited Leonor Perez agricultural cooperative, named after the mother of Cuban national hero Jose Marti. The cooperative organically produces fruit, crops, medicinal plants and animal products, 90% of which are supplied to Cuban state state institutions such as hospitals and nurseries.
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At the community centre Taller de transformacion barrio El Principe we took in performances of singing, dancing and martial arts. Abajo el bloqueo!
'Down with the US blockade against Cuba'
Images from today's meetings with the Editorial Director of the Juventud Rebelde communist youth newspaper, at the Autochapt cooperative general meeting and a presentation by Bruno Henriquez of renewable energy initiative Cubasolar.
Autochapt cooperative
Autochapt cooperative
Juventud Rebelde communist youth newspaper
Presentation by Bruno Henriquez of renewable energy initiative Cubasolar
Presentation by Bruno Henriquez of renewable energy initiative Cubasolar
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RATB - Cuba brigade - 17 Apr 2019
At our meeting yesterday at the National Centre for Sex Education we discussed the advancement of LGBT rights in Cuba and the debate around same sex marriage in the constitutional update.
Today we met with representatives from the Cuban Institute for Friendship of the peoples to learn about Cuban internationalism and solidarity with oppressed people around the world.
We also spoke to officials from the Women's Federation and learned of their work in defending and advancing the rights of women and girls in Cuban society.
Finally we met journalists from the Cuban news outlet Cubadebate to discuss press freedom and the ways we can counter the anti-Cuba and anti-Venezuela narratives pushed by the bourgeois media in Britain and the US.
Visit to Cubadebate office
Cuban National Center for Sex Education
Federation of Cuban Women
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RATB - Cuba brigade - 16 Apr 2019
Today the brigade visited the Centre for Molecular Immunology where we learned about the significant advances in the development of vaccines, and the ways the blockade against Cuba has affected the ability of Cuban researchers to collaborate scientifically with other countries.
We held a meeting with the president of the Cuban Association of Economists and Accountants, Ramón Labañino Salazar (who was also one of the Cuban 5 political prisoners) to discuss the updates to Cuba's economic model.
The Center of Molecular Immunology (Centro de Inmunología Molecular) or CIM
Meeting with Ramón Labañino Salazar one of the Cuban Five
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RATB - Cuba brigade - 15 Apr 2019
Today the brigade visited an elderly care centre in Havana and exchanged knowledge about social care in Britain and Cuba, as well as talking to the elders about their experience of life before and after the Revolution.
At the Latin American School of Medicine, we spoke to Victor Diaz Feran, Specialist for International Relations about the role of medicine in Cuba's inspiring internationalism. We also interviewed students from Palestine who hope to train in medicine in order to support their own country.
Elderly care centre in Havana
Elderly care centre in Havana
Latin American School of Medicine
Latin American School of Medicine
Latin American School of Medicine
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- Written by RATB
RATB - Cuba brigade -13 Apr 2019
Today the brigadistas volunteered at La Granja Rosita UJC farm, planting animal feed, and learning about the methods of organic farming employed to improve self sufficiency in Cuban food production.
We held an exchange with Rafael González Muñoz, the president of the Hermanos Sais Association, the cultural and artistic vanguard of Cuba, discussing the role of art in the Revolution.
The brigadistas volunteered at La Granja Rosita UJC farm
The brigadistas volunteered at La Granja Rosita UJC farm
The brigadistas volunteered at La Granja Rosita UJC farm
Rafael González Muñoz, the president of the Hermanos Sais Association
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- Written by RATB
RATB - Cuba brigade 12 Apr 2019
Today the brigade visited the Cochito Azul nursery school where we exchanged knowledge with the staff about early years provision in Britain and Cuba, and gave a donation of toys and educational materials.
We volunteered at a construction site where homes damaged by the tornado in January are being rebuilt - more houses with more facilities will replace the damaged buildings.
In the evening we were invited to join CDR (Committee for the Defence of the Revolution) no. 1 for a street event where we spoke to locals about how the CDR supports the community and saw performances by the youth.
Cochito Azul nursery
Cochito Azul nursery
We volunteered at a construction site where homes damaged by the tornado in January 2019
We volunteered at a construction site where homes damaged by the tornado in January 2019
In the evening we were invited to join CDR (Committee for the Defence of the Revolution)