From Grateful Ukraine to Noble Cuba: 20 Years of Program of Cuban Help to Ukrainian Chernobyl children

2010-11-12 L. Ivashkevich (Леся Ивашкевич)

On November 3 and 4th the practical-scientific conference "From grateful Ukraine to noble Cuba" took place in the National technical university of Ukraine "Kiev Polytechnic Institute". The conference was devoted to the 20 anniversary of the program of medical help which Cuba has given to Ukrainian children who suffered from the results of the Chernobyl accident in 1986.

8 years the program was held without any support of Ukrainian authorities, Cuba even provided the transportation of Ukrainian children, though it was an extremely difficult time for Cuba because of the breakage of the Soviet Union and economic blockade imposed by the USA.

But Cuba did not stop helping our children, because it was clear that there is no other country that would do it. In Ukraine these children would die or become disabled persons for the whole life. Only thanks to the professionalism and cordial care of Cuban doctors 23 000 of Ukrainian children became a chance to enjoy the life.

One should say that the conference, organized by the students and professors of the Faculty of Sociology of the Kiev Polytechnic Institute was the first mass event where Ukrainian people could show their gratitude for the unmercenary and really heroic help of the Cuban people. The honourable guests of the conference were the Cuban Ambassador Felix Leon Carballo and his secretary Yahima Vega, who also helped a lot to the organizers of the event. Among the participants of the event were the ombudsman on human rights of Ukrainian Parliament Nina Karpacheva, the president of the Shevchenko-University Leonid Huberski, the chairman of the International Chernobyl Fund Alexandr Bozhko, the National ensemble of Russia "Grenada" and many other important people. One of the children who was treated on Cuba expressed his immense gratitude to the people who gave him a chance for the normal life and read a touching poem in Spanish which he wrote for this event. Also the mothers of the children who were treated on Cuba took part in the conference.

After the festive opening the work of the conference went on in the seminars and discussion panels which took place within two days. In one of the seminars that took place in the network of the conference a number of important scientists of Ukraine participated who made their proposals about the possible cooperation of Ukraine and Cuba in the sphere of economy and science. Another meeting was devoted to the International operation "Anadyr" and the students and other interested could hear everything about this important Soviet-Cuban operation from its participants itself. Besides, the were discussion panels devoted to the program of Cuban help to Ukrainian children itself and the meeting called "Dialog of the cultures", where the members of the National ensemble of Russia "Grenada" told about their experience which they have got while travelling through the countries of Latin America. There was also a very interesting meeting with the President of the Moscow Institute of Latin America Harlamenko.

Except for that, within the work of the conference, the exposition of the photos of Cuba was held, thanks to which the participants as well as the students of the Institute could learn a lot from Cuban life. The photos were given by the best photographers of Ukraine and Cuba.

Also, the whole week the club of Cuban film was acting in the Institute, where one could admire such masterpieces film art as "Me, Cuba", "Viva Cuba!" and other.

The conference completed its work with a great concert with the participation of the trio "Cuba", of Ensemble "Grenada", of Kiev salsa clubs and the well-known Orchestra of Folk Instruments of Ukraine.

The participants of the conference were unanimous in their gratefulness to Cuba and their best wishes to this small but freedom-loving and noble country that gives an example of really progressive and humanistic international relations.

Further information in Russian:

Ukraine - Cuba: new impulses for economic cooperation

Thanks, Cuba! and The Festival of Cuban culture in the KPI (more about the conrefence and escorting events)