Museums as bridges that unite (+photos)

A ceremony to honor the mission of museums as bridges to narrow the cultural divisions between nations took place at the Palacio de Junco museum in Matanzas, in observance of International Museum Day.

Building fairer societies is one of the main tasks pursued by the 24 museums in the province, which safeguard memories and precious objects, explained animator and museologist Reinaldo Cardoso Zambrano.

During the ceremony, awards were given to museologists, conservators, and researchers who, through their commitment and daily dedication, highlight the cultural identity of our territory.

In this way, the collective work of some of these institutions was celebrated, including the Castillo de San Severino museum and the Palacio de Junco itself, for their active participation in communities and their communication skills.

For Bielka Cantillo González, director of the Provincial Center for Cultural Heritage of Matanzas, the slogan «Museums United for Divided Worlds» — an initiative of the International Council of Museums — represents the true determination to break down differences through inclusion and interactivity among all.

The practice of danzón, a centuries-old cultural expression recently declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the coordination of the Lorenzo Padilla Museum of Art of Matanzas and the joint work of the University of Matanzas and other relevant institutions, was also deserving of recognition.

The museum piece of the month was the plaque from the Music Academy of director Agustina Carreras, an important center that trained great instrumentalists in the city.

Museums are spaces of safeguarding and dialogue, where cooperation to face global challenges and defend living memory constitutes a permanent commitment.