Cuba Need to know

Asociación Hermanos Saíz (AHS) is a youth organisation for artists, writers and intellectuals until the age of 35. The organisation was founded in 1986 by a merger of three other cultural organisations: "La Brigada Raúl Gómez García", "La Brigada Hermanos Saíz" and "El Movimiento de la Nueva Trova". 

Comité de Defensa de la Revolución: Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. Neighborhood-based organisations to defend the Cuban Revolution. In Cuba some seven million people have a membership of these organisations. They were founded on September 28, 1960.

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Fidel Castro at the 40th Anniversary of the CDR's

Confederación de Trabajadores Cubanos: the confederation of trade unions in Cuba. 

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Fidel Castro speeches to CTC Congress on November 19, 1959

(Official explanation, 2002:) 

In 1850 what was to become the definitive national symbol was hoisted for the first time. Encapturing simplicity and perfect harmony, it combines three colors, red, white and blue, to form the Cuban flag: three blue stripes - the states in which the island was divided at that time - two white stripes - the force of the idealistic independence fighter - , a red triangle - representing equality, fraternity and liberty, and at the same time, the blood which had to be spilled during the battles for independence - and a white star, alone - as a symbol of the absolute liberty between other nations - these are what characterise its beautiful design. 

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The place of the first raising of the Cuban flag on May 19, 1850 in Cardenas

The Cuban flag used by Cespedes during the First War of Independence

Federación de Estudiantes de la Enseñanza Media, 

Federación de Mujeres Cubanas: the Cuban women federation, founded in 1960.

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Fidel Castro at the 7th  Congress of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC)

Started as a newspaper for the youth, nowadays the company has a radio program (Rebelde en Rebelde) on Radio Rebelde and an internet site. It was founded on October 21, 1965, at the end of the activities for the 5th Anniversary of the integration of the Cuban Youth Movement, and at the opening of the First National Sports Games. President Fidel Castro Ruz announced the birth of the new paper whose historical antecedents were Mella magazine and the Diario de la Tarde. Fidel's own words describing the aim of the paper in 1965: "... a paper mainly devoted to the youth, with things that interest young people, but that must try to be a quality newspaper whose content could be interesting for all kind of readers".

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The story of Juventud Rebelde

(Official explanation, 2002:) 

The National Anthem was created in Bayamo, out of the fracas of the battle for independence. Pedro Figueredo, having composed the melody in 1867, wrote the words to this battle hymn, with the sentiments of an independence fighter, when the insurgent troops took the city in 1868. 

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The church where the Cuban National Anthem was first sung on November 8, 1868

The statue of Pedro Figueredo in Bayamo and the text of the Anthem

(Official explanation, 2002:) 

The National shield represents our island. It is shaped like a pointed leather shield, and divided into three sections.

In its horizontal upper part, there is a golden key between two mountains, and a sun rising over the sea - which symbolises the position of Cuba in the Gulf, between the two Americas, amidst the emergence of a new state.

The blue and white strips, down the left hand side, represent the situation of the island, in terms of its division into states, in the colonial period. Down the right hand side, a Cuban country scene is dominated by a royal palm tree - the symbol of the unbreakable character of the Cuban people.

"Organización de Pioneros José Martí" (OPJM) is a Cuban youth organisation for children from 5 to 15 years of age. The history of this organisation started in 1931. Then, according to the website of Juventud Rebelde it was called "Organización de Pioneros José Martí (OPJM)". According to the Pioneers website, this first organisation was called: "Liga de Pioneros de Cuba (LPC)" (the Cuban Pioneers' League). This organization (LPC) lasted only for five years. After the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, more similar organizations were created.Up until 1966, the members of the Movement were selected, as a result of which their number was small. In 1977 at the third congress of the UJC the organisation was restructured and definitely turned into into a mass organization. The organisation got a new name as well: "Organización de Pioneros José Martí" (José Martí Pioneers' Association). From then on the organisation included not only primary school students but also students from secondary (junior high) school. Today (2003) over 1.5 million Cuban children and teenagers are members of the José Martí Pioneers' Association. Their slogan is: "Pioneros por el comunismo ¡Seremos como El Che!" (Pioneers for Communism, We shall be like Che!). 

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Artefacts of the Pioneers

Radio Rebelde started to broadcast in February 1958 from Fidel Castro's camp in the Sierra Maestra (La Comandancia de la Plata). Today it is still an official radio station in Cuba.

Unión de Jóvenes Comunistas: the union for young Communists. It is the youth organisation of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC). It was founded on April 4, 1962. The aim of the organisation is to prepare the Cuban youth cultural, political and ideological for their future role in consolidating the benefits of the Cuban revolution.

The theme in the logo means: study, work and rifle.