Hendersonville Sister Cities organization presents “The Mysteries of Cuba” on Thursday, July 9, and invites all who are curious about the island 90 miles off the coast of Florida.
The presentation will begin at 6 p.m. and be let by John and Pam Gaitskill, who will share information from their cultural-exchange trip in Cuba through People to People in 2012.
“We enjoyed Havana, Cuba’s colorful capital, and its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture,” Pam said. “And of course we loved the music and dance that is so much a part of the culture. Salsa emanates from the dance clubs and cabaret shows are performed at the famed Tropicana. We saw a broad scope of life in Cuba and learned about its history.”
Through their photos and personal stories, attendees will see the Cuban musicians and artists, see the farms and homes the Gaitskills visited, and learn about the Bay of Pigs memorial and the Special Interest Section in Havana.
The event will be held at at the Henderson County Public Library auditorium, and is free and open to the public.
Press Release from Mary Jo Padgett:
“THE MYSTERIES OF CUBA” PRESENTED BY HENDERSONVILLE SISTER CITIES
(HENDERSONVILLE, NC, June 25, 2015) – On Thursday, July 9, a timely program on “The Mysteries of Cuba” will begin at 6 p.m. at the Henderson County Public Library auditorium, 301 N. Washington St., hosted by Hendersonville Sister Cities organization. Cuba is relatively unknown to most Americans, so the presentation by John and Pam Gaitskill will be of interest to those with curiosity or ties to this island 90 miles off the coast of Florida. The program is open to the public at no charge.
Political relations with Cuba have been recently relaxed, leading to a renewed interest in the culture and people of the island remembered for Ernest Hemingway’s hideaway, military confrontation, Fidel Castro, refugees, and media silence. Today this large island is known for its white-sand beaches, rolling mountains, cigars, and rum.
The widely-traveled Gaitskills will share information from the cultural-exchange trip they enjoyed in Cuba through People to People in 2012. Through their photos and personal stories we will catch-up with the musicians and artists of today’s Cuba, see the farms and homes they visited, and learn about the Bay of Pigs memorial and the Special Interest Section in Havana where the U.S. has had a sort-of embassy for 50 years.
“We enjoyed Havana, Cuba’s colorful capital, and its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture,” Pam reported. “And of course we loved the music and dance that is so much a part of the culture. Salsa emanates from the dance clubs and cabaret shows are performed at the famed Tropicana. We saw a broad scope of life in Cuba and learned about its history.”
With over 11 million inhabitants, Cuba is a multiethnic country whose people, culture, and customs derive from diverse origins, including the aboriginal Taíno and Ciboney peoples, the long period of Spanish colonialism, the introduction of African slaves, and a close relationship with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Is the only remaining Marxist-Leninist state to receive a “very high” human development ranking from the United Nations, and ranks well in measures of health and education, according to Wikipedia.
Hendersonville Sister Cities is a nonprofit organization formed in 2007 to foster and celebrate international cooperation and understanding and local economic growth through education, exploration of other cultures, travel, and social interaction. Almuñécar, Spain, is Hendersonville’s Sister City. A second Sister City – Pallanza-Verbania, Italy – will be adopted later this year.
Hendersonville Sister Cities regularly hosts educational and cultural programs and international dinners.The organization is a member of Sister Cities International, a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network seeking stronger economic and cultural ties at the municipal level between U.S. and international communities.
For more information about Hendersonville Sister Cities, visit the website atwww.hendersonvillesistercities.com. For more information about the program on Cuba, contact Marcia Grant, program coordinator, at 697-4383.
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