Twins for History.

This May 25th we celebrate World Africa Day, not only as a tribute to the historic meeting held 60 years ago by 32 African leaders in the city of Addis Ababa to form the former Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, but also to ponder the continent’s successes and encourage dialogue and reflection on the challenges that the future holds for it.

It is precisely the African Union, by promoting peaceful and respectful coexistence, territorial integration, the safeguarding of sovereignty and unity and solidarity among African states, that becomes a trench to combat the vestiges of colonisation and apartheid, as well as racism, extreme poverty, disease, desertification, drought, low levels of life expectancy, increased victims of regional armed conflicts, among other scourges that, despite notable socio-economic advances, still plague the region.

And just as the world has been influenced by many of its most distinctive gestures, history brought us Africans and Cubans together, and the largest of the Antilles was heir to a huge maelstrom of customs, traditions, philosophies of life, religious, culinary, musical and dance influences, as well as a vigorous euphoria for freedom and internationalism that made us tireless defenders of our independence.

This is therefore a day to extol the ties between Africa and our Caribbean island, to evoke the influence, relevance and idiosyncrasy of our cultures and, above all, to vindicate the alliance, solidarity and socio-economic development of our peoples, embracing our origins, praising our closest ancestors and feeling the energetic libertarian vibration of their hearts flowing through our veins.

Written by Yadiel Barbón Salgado.