00:00In this context, to commemorate the centenary of Fidel Castro,
00:04people from all around the world gathered in Cuba to remember the legacy and relevance of the revolutionary leader.
00:09From Havana, our colleague Belén de los Santos, with more information.
00:18Hello, studios, once again here from Havana.
00:21In the day of the centenary of the historical leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruth,
00:28with such an important act in honor of his legacy.
00:33Also, the presence and the relevance for today of his ideas.
00:39That's what the celebration was all about.
00:41That is what the Coloquium of Fidel was all about.
00:44And it ended with an emotional and artistic moment to honor what Fidel did here in Cuba,
00:53what the people are giving now back to him.
00:56And we are in the presence of many delegations from across the world.
01:00We are joined now with Austin from the Black Alliance for Peace.
01:06He is coming from the U.S., as many others have come in this important moment for Cuba.
01:11Austin, just general impressions.
01:13What are you feeling now?
01:14We have just come from this important moment in honor of Fidel Castro.
01:19I don't know what we saw today, as you mentioned, was the real expression of a culture of liberation,
01:27of a revolutionary culture that Fidel and Moncadistas and the people of Cuba have been building for the last 67
01:36plus years,
01:37and even for their entire revolutionary history since 1868.
01:41What I think is really on stage, what was really shown on stage and what we were able to witness
01:46today,
01:47particularly coming from the United States, was a people who are proud not only of their own revolutionary culture,
01:53not only of the legacy and the life and the history of Fidel, but also what that has given to
01:58humanity.
01:59We saw that from the political ideals, the human ideals, the understanding of music, of culture, of dance, of struggle
02:07as well,
02:08and the blending and the understanding that the struggle that Fidel and the other Cuban revolutionaries of that period went
02:14through
02:15in the Sierra Maestra, in El Exilio, in Mexico, with the grandma and then with the building of the Cuban
02:21revolution since 1959,
02:23is something that is at its most fundamental an expression of solidarity and humanity, of social justice and obviously of
02:31socialism.
02:32And so for us in the United States in particular to come here and to understand and to hopefully leave
02:38with and spread the truth about what the Cuban revolution is,
02:41that it is not only a revolution for the Cuban people, obviously principally that's where it comes from,
02:47but it is a revolution for all of humanity to understand how we can actually face the crises of the
02:52world together,
02:53how we can fight from a place not only of deep political beliefs and understanding,
03:00but really of an understanding of humanity and appreciation for our differences in our culture as well as our shared
03:06humanity,
03:06and that from that point is how we can build towards a better world, how we can face the crises
03:11of the climate crisis,
03:14how we can face the crises of poverty and of domination, the crises that are presented in our digital world
03:20as well.
03:20It was wonderful to see the young people up there and then speaking about how they are carrying forward Fidel's
03:26legacy
03:27and the legacy of the Cuban revolution in this time right now in a completely coherent political and philosophical and
03:35artistic form.
03:36And so it's just a beautiful celebration that we understand as a celebration that is built from the Cuban revolution,
03:42that is built from the revolutionary ideas and example of Fidel and something that I hope my people, black African
03:49people in the United States
03:50and all the people of the United States and the world can really take an example of, can take inspiration
03:55from and that we can carry forward as well.
03:58Thank you so much, Austin, for joining us here in Tell Us Sir English and sharing the celebration as well.
04:03So that is a little bit of what is happening here in the Hallmark Theatre, the important moment of celebration,
04:12commemoration in the centenary of Fidel Castro.
04:14And a little bit of what Austin was just saying, the representation of that society that Fidel not only envisioned
04:23but built here in Cuba.
04:25And we had in stage the young people, also the scientists, the people who have worked in the sports field,
04:33the artists, all of that as a representation of the society
04:37envisioned by the Cuban revolution that is a reality today that continues to struggle in the hardest of sieges.
04:44Here from Havana we have more information. I go back to you now.
04:47I'm sitting inside.
