"The National Ballet of Cuba has been present in the greatest moments of our major cultural endeavors, throughout the long battle for independence and socialism waged by our people".
Quotes
"Alicia’s excellence, her talent, tenacity and example, have inspired generations of brilliant artists, and made possible the miracle: the existence of the National Ballet of Cuba, with its world-class quality and worldwide prestige; the birth of the Cuban School of Ballet, a synthesis of universality, tradition, Cubanness and a style uniquely its own, recognized and acclaimed around the globe; the training of new and extraordinary talents; and the possibility of realizing other ambitious dreams".
"The point is that it is not only the warrior what we admire in Che or the man capable of great feats. And what he did, and what he was doing, that fact in itself of facing with only a handful of men an entire oligarchic army, instructed by the Yankee advisers supplied by Yankee imperialism, supported by the oligarchies of all neighboring countries, that fact in itself constitutes an extraordinary feat".
“[…] whenever a man must face a challenge it is a test to him: a test of his character, a test of his will, a test of his courage as a revolutionary and as a man. And the concept of man implies the willingness to face tests and challenges.”
“Our country could be swept off the Earth, but it could never be conquered and submitted.”
“And our Revolution stemmed from the struggle against injustice and against tyranny, looking at the way in which our comrades were chased, assassinated and tortured everyday; and our people were educated in the most profound hatred against crime, injustice, torture and all forms of abuse against human beings […]. Our people were educated in those principles, and those principles became our people’s asset and culture. If there is something which has characterized our Revolution it has been our loyalty to principles.”
“I think we are all worthy of a better future, we have a right to a better future; nobility of spirit, the talent of our peoples, their patriotism, their courage, their feelings – all of these make them worthy of a better future.”
“A people are nothing without honour, without decorum, without independence and without dignity, never mind the life of a people!”
“That is man’s marvellous virtue, that he is capable of giving it all, of giving his life, of giving all for an idea, for a cause, for a noble sentiment, for a spirit of solidarity.”
“[…] It has been our tradition since our war of liberation; we made the war being generous, respecting our adversary, respecting our enemy. That is a basic fact of our history; if it were not so, we would not have the support of our people…”
We're just as much internationalists today as before. It would be more accurate to say that we're more so because, today, defending our land, we're defending thousands of millions of people in the world. Let's say, we're defending values that belong to humanity.
“We must nurture values. There is no alternative, if within a maximum of freedom, because authentic values are those practiced in the greatest freedom”.