Cubanakoa 2015: Island Culture, Sustainability
and Human Rights in Cuba!
May 5 – 14, 2015
Cuba program for the Cubanakoa Foundation

Draft Program

Tuesday, May 5

Late morning:   Arrival in Havana at Jose Marti International Airport on Charter flight from Miami. Transfer to the hotel; check in.

Program briefing / Informational meeting

Lunch at hotel or neighborhood restaurant

Afternoon:   City tour to sites of environmental, cultural and historical interest, including art galleries, urban gardens and neighborhood development projects. Walking tour of Old Havana with opportunities to talk with local citizens along the way.

Evening:   Welcome Dinner with Cuban hosts and guests
Late evening:   Cultural Activities (Options include Havana salsa club)

Wednesday, May 6
Breakfast at the hotel

Morning:   Visit to the Antonio Núnez Jimenez Foundation for Nature and Humanity (FANJ). Panel discussion on Cuba's policies and practice in environmental protection and sustainable development

Lunch with FANJ staff at paladar (restaurant in private home)

Afternoon:   Visit urban permaculture gardens in and around Havana with FANJ staff

Dinner at the hotel
Evening:   Cultural Activities /  Speaker Presentations*

Thursday, May 7
Breakfast at the hotel

Morning:  Meeting with Cuban physicians and social workers for discussion of public health and social welfare practice in Cuba, historically and currently

Lunch

Afternoon: Meeting with Cuban educators and on the 1961 Cuban Literacy Campaign, the structure and goals of Cuba's education system, preschool – advanced degrees, special education, the integration of the arts in the educational setting and the Latin American Medical School

Dinner at the hotel

Evening:   Cultural Activities /  Speaker Presentations*

Friday, May 8
Breakfast at the hotel

Morning:   Take the Ferry across the Bay of Havana to the Municipality of Regla and its renowned Church, La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla y La Santisima Virgen de Regla – with its main alter of a black Madonna venerated in the Catholic faith in Cuba and associated in the Santeria religion with “Yemaya,” the “Orisha” of the ocean, protector of sailors, etc. Visit the Casa/Templo Orunmila

Lunch in Regla

Afternoon:   Visit to the Guanabacoa Community Cultural Center and Museum, famous for its Afro-Cuban Cultural exhibits/collections on slavery, Santeria and other Yoruba/Afro-Cuban religions and cultural traditions
Visit to the Fernando Ortiz Foundation for discussion of culture and history of Guanabacoa and "the similarities of Caribbean and Pacific Island Cultures"

Dinner at the hotel

Evening: Cultural Options / Speaker Presentations

Saturday, May 9
Breakfast at the hotel

All Day:   Eco community of Las Terrazas in the Biosphere Reserve of Sierra del Rosario in Pinar del Rio. Visit to the museum, artists’ galleries, family doctor clinic in the community, the organic garden that supplies the El Romero Vegetarian Restaurant

Lunch at El Romero Restaurant and meeting/talk with Chef Tito Nunez

Afternoon:   Hike in the Bio-Reserve with Cuban naturalists; swim in San Juan River

Late afternoon:   Drive to Viñales Valley

Dinner at the hotel

Evening:   Meeting with Viñales CDR, Cuban neighborhood association that oversees community needs; opportunity to visit with Cubans in their homes

Sunday, May 10
Breakfast at the hotel

Morning:  Hike in Viñales Valley, one of Cuba's most beautiful nature preserves, with Cuban naturalist. Learn about Cuban karstland, mogotes, caves and underground rivers and the community that lives and works within the preserve.

Lunch in Viñales Valley

Afternoon:   Visit rural organic cooperative farm and/or tobacco farm and/or local arts and ecology center for people with special needs; opportunity to visit with farmers, workers and social service providers and recipients

Late Afternoon:  Return to Havana

Dinner at the hotel

Evening:   Cultural Options / Speaker Presentations*

Monday, May 11
Breakfast at the hotel

Morning:   Meeting with CENESEX, the Cuban Center for Sex Education, to discuss current policy and practice regarding gender and gender identity issues and sex education in Cuba

Lunch at Casa de la Amistad

Early Afternoon:   Meeting with representative of the North America Division of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) for discussion of current issues in US-Cuba relations

Mid Afternoon: 

Dinner at the hotel
Evening:   Cultural Options /Speaker Presentations

 

Tuesday, May 12
Breakfast at the hotel

Morning:   Talk by representatives of various disciplines from the Cuban Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment on the issues island nations face in the era of climate change

Lunch in Central Havana

Afternoon:  

Dinner at the hotel
Evening:   Cultural Options /Speaker Presentationsl

 

Wednesday, May 13
Breakfast at the hotel

Morning:   Visit to the Instituto Superior de Arte or School of Ballet. Chance to watch/hear students perform and to talk with students and faculty

Lunch in the neighborhood of artist, Jose Fuster, in the coastal community of Jaimanitas; cultural exchange and visit to Fuster's home/studio

Afternoon:  Free time in Havana for individual educational pursuits

Late Afternoon:  Re-entry and Evaluation meeting with Cuban guides and hosts

Evening:   Farewell Dinner with Cuban hosts and guests

Late Evening: Cultural Activities

Thursday, May 14
Breakfast at the hotel

Mid-morning check out and departure for the airport for return flight to Miami

 

* Possible evening speaker presentations, additional meetings/site visits and optional cultural activities:

Talk on changes in Cuba's economic, political and social policies and practices since the dissolution of the Soviet bloc with journalist Marc Frank

Meeting with Dr. Alberto Roque and other members of Cuba’s Multidisciplinary Association for Sexuality Studies and Cuba’s National commission for Transsexual Care

Talk on Cuba's renewable energy and energy efficiency policy and programs

Other according to interests of individual participants