Ciego de Avila, Cuba, Jan 27.- The first Honorary Chair of Haitian Studies in Cuba was opened at the Maximo Gomez University, in this province, to safeguard the heritage and customs of the Caribbean people on the island.
Ciego de Avila was welcomed to create the chair because of the presence of Haitian communities, which maintain their strong roots of the traditions of their ancestors in the culinary, music, dance and crafts.
In addition, the existence of the Nago and Okay music-dance groups, with great prestige in Cuba, keeps alive Haitian culture and art by transmitting it from generation to generation.
In the opening activity, the University of Ciego de Avila was joined with the Université Nouvelle Grand'Ansen of the Jeremie region, located in the southwest of Haiti, which represents a significant advance for bilateral collaboration.
The rector of the Haitian educational center, Jean Maxime Reumer, stressed the importance of such event to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two Caribbean nations.
He pinpointed that it is a moment of transcendence to reflect on the legacy of the Haitians in the different areas of Cuban life and to understand in part the different historical stages through which the Caribbean area has crossed.
He added that it is the first step to turn the central region of the Greater Antilles into a scientific and investigative focus on the Haitian historical-folkloric treasure in Cuba.
The president of the institution, Silvia Alvarez, explained to Prensa Latina that they intend to concentrate all the documentation and studies carried out by researchers from the country related to the history, roots, customs and culture of Haiti since the arrival of the first emigrants to the Cuban nation.
The meeting was also attended by Professor Pierre Buteau, former Minister of Education, currently President of the Society of History, Geography and Geology of Haiti, Maria Rollok, President of the Caribbean Association of Cuba and Consuelo Doris Diaz, National Coordinator of the Haitian Community in Cuba.
The inauguration of the chair took place in the context of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Avilanian university and on the 165th anniversary of the birth of the National Hero Jose Marti.