“Cuba´s ethnic and cultural roots are very different and such roots took hold for centuries”.
Quotes
“…What an extraordinary people this one will be! What a people this one will be, moving along with other peoples of the world! What a people this one will be, which will also be helping, through its own example, many other peoples that are still living in darkness, that are still living in ignorance, that are still living under exploitation!”
“A Revolution educates, a Revolution fights ignorance and the lack of culture because ignorance and the lack of culture are the pillars sustaining the entire structure of lies, the entire structure of poverty, the entire structure of exploitation.”
“"Their society" of privileged minorities over exploited majorities, "their class order" which they maintain with blood and fire over the dispossessed, "the homeland" which they alone enjoy, depriving the rest of the people of that enjoyment, to repress the revolutionaries who aspire to a new society, a just order, a true homeland for all”.
"Without culture, freedom is not possible. The accuracy of this claim is what inspires our efforts today. And for us, culture is not limited to artistic pursuits, but rather, it encompasses a concept of comprehensive general culture that includes professional training and basic knowledge of a wide range of disciplines in the sciences, arts and humanities".
"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".
"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".
“Many have been the attempts by the United States to destroy the Puerto Rican nationalism, to destroy the Puerto Rican culture, to destroy every single distinctive feature of the Puerto Rican people […]”
“But I insist that truly a people shall be stronger, they will have a much more secure future, related to how much culture, how much training they have in all aspects; but especially how much more political culture, revolutionary culture, that people have.”
“We should proclaim with all of our energies that we have the right to breath pure air, to drink uncontaminated water, to feed ourselves with healthy food….we have the right to be educated, to receive medical assistance, to be less poor when others are ever richer.”
“Saving Old Havana, which they were already completely destroying, but which the world now admires as the Heritage of Humanity, all that architecture that has incalculable value, protected, where they were already starting to make heliports and tall buildings. If the Revolution had been delayed a few more years, nothing would remain of Old Havana, which is now not only a cultural center admired by the world but even a center of wealth and income for the country. There isn't a citizen who comes to the capital who doesn't want to go to visit Old Havana, which has been preserved by the Revolution”.
“Another terrible problem that we are suffering (...) is that of the aggression to our national identities, the ruthless aggression to our cultures, as never before in history, the trend towards a universal monoculture. How can anyone conceive such world? It is not a world order that combines the wealth and culture of many countries, but a world order that, by definition, destroys culture, a globalization that inevitably destroys culture.”