Cuba: Artists from 25 Countries at Caribbean Festival

Havana, Jun 29. -Delegations from 25 countries confirmed their participation in the 31st Caribbean Festival, dedicated to the people and culture of Trinidad and Tobago, July 3-9 in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba.

The Dominican Republic, Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Venezuela and the Cayman Islands will participate in the festival, said Orlando Verges, director of the Casa del Caribe cultural center.

Mexico's delegation consists of 174 participants, making it the most numerous one, as it has been for the last five years. Spain and Italy will represent Europe, he said.

More than 53 artistic groups of dance, music and theatre from those countries are part of the festival program, Verges added.

Cuba will be represented by 29 groups, while 65 from Santiago de Cuba will liven the meeting focused on solidarity, diversity, friendship and hope.

Participants will perform in 30 venues all over the city, with 32 major shows and more than 500 people.

The program will highlight the international colloquium "El Caribe que nos Une" (The Caribbean which unites us), a space for reflecting on and debating topics related to the history, culture and countries of the area, to be held July 4-8.

The ambassador of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in Cuba, Jennifer Jones, highlighted the efforts made by the Casa del Caribe cultural center to celebrate this fiesta as Cuban society is immersed in economic transformations.

This unique event means a lot, because it brings together people from countries who speak different languages (English and Spanish), Jones said. (Prensa Latina)