Taking advantage of President Obama’s liberalized regulations that have re-established people-to-people licensed travel to Cuba, members of LAWG staff partnered with Witness for Peace and led a delegation of 25 people to study and learn about the art and culture of Cuba. Our delegation met with artists such as Sandra Ramos, Kadir and Kelvin Lopez, saw performances by students in one of Havana’s many schools for the arts, visited Ernest Hemingway’s home, witnessed the magic of the Cuba National Ballet, participated in folkloric dance led by a community group “Okantomi,” dialogued with members of the Cuban National Assembly, Ministry of Foreign Relations, Ministry of Tourism, Union of Artists and Writers, and the United States Interests Section in Havana.
With the tremendous assistance of our host organization in Havana, the Martin Luther King Jr Center, we were able to fill our itinerary with these unique activities in order to facilitate true interactions with the Cuban people.
These are a few photos that highlight our group’s experience. We’ll soon be posting individual stories from trip participants with their own reflections on the trip so stay tuned!
WFP Jan 2012 Arts and Culture Delegation, Photo by Emily Chow
Group at Martin Luther King Jr. Center, Photo by Emily Chow
Elementary students from Alejandro Garcia Caturla music school, Photo by: Emily Chow
National School of Varities, Photo by: Mavis Anderson
Students practicing at the National School of Varities, Photo by: Mavis Anderson
Dance students at National School of Varities, Photo by: Emily Chow
Percussionist for dance class, Photo by: Emily Chow
Old Havana, Photo by: Mavis Anderson
Students, Photo by: Mavis Anderson
A little baseball, Photo by: Mavis Anderson
Enthusiasm at the Cultural House in Cardenas, Photo by: Mavis Anderson
Okantomi interpretation of Ochun, Photo by: Emily Chow
Cuban sunset, Photo by: Emily Chow
