The steps of Mr. Darwish S. Ahmed Alshebani through Havana

Mr. Darwish S. Ahmed Alshebani, president of the Green Zone Foundation (GZF) visited Cuba as a representative of the Arab culture and language. The main interest of the distinguished Qatari public diplomat was to strengthen his country’s bilateral ties with Latin America and the Caribbean.

As part of his visit, Mr. Darwish held three key meetings with Cuban institutions. An agreement was signed with the Arab Union of Cuba, represented by its president Yaimé Proveyer, to expand the Arab-Spanish exchange project, as well as to promote the learning of the Arabic language, with emphasis on the youngest.

*Green Zone Foundation represented by its president Mr. Darwish Saleh signs Collaboration Agreement with the Arab Union of Cuba, represented by its president Mrs. Yaimé Proveyer.*

On the other hand, Mr. Darwish met with Moraima Orozco Delgado, General Director of Management and Strategic Directions of the International Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Education. On the occasion, they reiterated the intention of exchanging experiences between young people from both regions.

He also met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade Déborah Rivas Saavedra and Sergio Espinosa, Director of the Directorate of Policy, Economic and Trade with Africa and the Middle East, who expressed their projections and intentions with the Qatari nation in areas such as Tourism, Science and Biotechnology, among others.

H.E. Mr. Darwish S. Ahmed Alshebani, President of GZF and the Latin American multiplatform TeleSUR signed a Framework Collaboration Agreement. Patricia Villegas Marín, President of TeleSUR, emphasized that this agreement will strengthen the bonds of friendship and collaboration, promote diversity and pluralism in information, as well as the dissemination of relevant cultural content in the region.

Ms. Omeyma Shiakh-Eldin, GZF Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, participated in these meetings.

During his visit, Mr. Darwish presided over the central activity for the World Arabic Language Day, organized by the Arab Union of Cuba and the regional and Cuban coordinators of GZF.

In his opening remarks, Alshebani stressed the importance of the Arabic language for the cultural diversity of humanity. The event was also attended by the president of the UAC, Yaimé Proveyer, the director of TeleSUR, Patricia Villlegas, the ambassador of the State of Palestine in Cuba, Akram Mohammad, the coordinator of the Second Commission of the National Youth Council of Colombia, Leonardo Villalba, among other guests.

His Excellency Mr. Darwish S. Ahmed Alshebani, President of GZF and the Latin American multiplatform communication TeleSUR signed a Framework Collaboration Agreement, Patricia Villegas Marín, president of teleSUR, highlighted that this agreement will strengthen ties of friendship and collaboration, and promote diversity and pluralism in information, as well as the dissemination of relevant cultural content in the region.

The occasion also served to award institutions and personalities that carry out relevant work in defense of the reality of the Arab countries. Attendees enjoyed various artistic performances by Cuban schoolchildren during the ceremony, which also included the inauguration of the GZF website.

At the end of the celebration, Mr. Darwish and the rest of the guests witnessed evidence of the interrelation and work of the Arab Union of Cuba with the community. The educational centers close to the UAC headquarters stood out, as is the case of the Rubén Bravo Álvarez High School, thanks to the kindness and collaboration of its director Leticia Pérez Villarta.

On this occasion, Gisleydi Sosa Cabrera, Director of International Relations of INDER, received Mr. Darwish at the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation, which in Cuba also serves as the Ministry of Sports, The meeting highlighted the great importance that Qatar has for the institution, since for many years there have been sports exchanges between Qatari and Cuban athletes.

During his visit, Mr. Darwish held another meeting, this time at the Directorate for the Development of Cultural Industries and International Cooperation of MINCULT. Yarisel Duthill and Dania Diaz, specialists of the Directorate, exchanged the general ideas of the GZF Project for the Promotion of the Arabic Language and Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean. Cuba would be the first country to initiate the project.

The President of GZF, Mr. Darwish S. meets in Havana with Mrs. Yarisel Duthill, Director of the Directorate of Development of Cultural Industries and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture of Cuba, to outline work strategies and subsequently sign Collaboration agreements.

To conclude, Mr. Darwish and Mr. Leonardo Villalba of the CNJ of Colombia signed an important project aimed at ensuring that some 1,000 young people can learn the Arabic language free of charge throughout the country.

Mr. Darwish and Mr. Leonardo Villalba from CNJ Colombia, achieved the signing of an important project, which aims to ensure that nearly a thousand young people can learn the Arabic Language for free throughout the national territory.

The GZF president toured the House Museum of the Arabs, classified as an ethnographic museum that houses intrinsic knowledge about Arab culture. Jackeline Díaz, Director of the institution, told him about the existence of 3,400 copies in the library, rare and valuable books from the 19th century on culture, history, art, cooking, politics, essays and costumes.

In all the meetings, the diplomat and president of GZD emphasized Qatar’s interest in strengthening bilateral ties with Cuba, as well as the Foundation’s purpose of establishing cultural exchanges between Arab, Latin American and Caribbean youth.