"The Cuban people appreciate you very much," said the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, on Monday afternoon when he welcomed, at the Palace of the Revolution, the American actor, director and producer Kevin Costner, who has arrived for the second time in the largest of the Antilles, engaged in a series on underwater archeology.
The Head of State expressed to the prominent filmmaker that it was a pleasure to meet him, and spoke of "enormous satisfaction" for the fact that the friend is in Cuba these days. "The Cuban people appreciate you very much", said the dignitary, who included as reasons for this feeling not only Kevin Costner's artistic career, but also his special projection towards social and environmental issues.
The famous actor said he has felt very well during these days in Cuba. "It's been a dream for a long time", he declared, and also stated: "I have studied the Caribbean a lot".
Last Tuesday, the well-known visitor was in Havana at the Castillo de La Real Fuerza Museum. About the experience, he told President Diaz-Canel about his interest in the underwater archeology pieces displayed there and his admiration for the architecture of the colonial building.
The actor was impressed -and so he told his host- by Havana's architecture. In another moment of the pleasant dialogue, the First Secretary invited him to return to the island, so that he could visit other places of value for underwater archeology, such as Santiago de Cuba.
Along with the U.S. director and producer, the Cuban Alejandro Mirabal, underwater archeologist and researcher, took part in the exchange. He has an important performance dedicated to the rescue and preservation of underwater heritage. About this scholar, who holds a Guinness record as the person who has dived the most historic shipwrecks, with 243 registered sites, the American actor said that they met more than a decade ago in Mozambique, and that, since then, their friendship has grown.
It is known that the first time Kevin Costner was in Cuba was in 2001. The visit was part of the screening of his film 13 Days. Those moments brought him the surprise of a meeting with Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz. About those hours, the actor would declare to the press, some time later, that it was "an experience for life", and that "in the world in which we live, I am always happy about the news that means that we are getting closer and closer to each other".
