Working to strengthen cultural institutions and provide high quality services to the population, beyond mass cultural consumerism, are some of the main aims of the Ministry of Culture (Mincult) for 2016, according to the annual report presented at Havana’s Convention Center on Friday, February 5, with the attendance of Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, member of the Party Political Bureau and first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers.
On analyzing the challenges in the cultural sphere for 2016, and evaluating the efforts of the past year, participants agreed on the need to continue to defend the island’s identity, cultural heritage and community social projects, as well as raising standards in arts education.
During the meeting, which was also attended by Abel Prieto, advisor to the President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Higher Education Minister Rodolfo Alarcón, and various figures and personalities from the arts, Culture Minister Julián González, insisted that Mincult must ensure the integration of all cultural entities and that problems remain in terms of cultural programming.
“Our offerings must be based on the interweaving of all (cultural) expressions and must not be fragmented, that’s why our cultural centers are so successful,” Zuleika Romay, president of the Cuban Book Institute noted.
During the discussion, participants also advocated more comprehensive programs, with the presence of varied cultural manifestations, and the undertaking of different events in accordance with the characteristics of each host community.
They also stressed the importance of training specialists and working together with the José Martí Art Instructors Brigade.
It also emerged that during 2016 – a year in which Mincult will celebrate its 40th anniversary – the key focus will be improvements in cultural work within the community, based on the implementation of Guideline 163 of the Sixth Party Congress, with cultural development programs as the basic instrument for these efforts.
While in 2015, the country's cultural life was intense and various investments, repairs and building maintenance were undertaken, which allowed for the opening and reopening of many cultural centers, this year will see further large-scale works, including the capital repair of various theaters, museums and libraries.
Concluding the event, representatives of cultural institutions and art schools, as well as artists, intellectuals and creators, reaffirmed their commitment to the Revolution, in this year in which the 55th anniversary of the Literacy Campaign, the victory of Playa Girón, the declaration of the socialist character of the Revolution and Fidel’s “Words to Intellectuals” are all to be celebrated, together with the 90th birthday of the Comandante en Jefe himself.
