[:es]Raul Castro Honors Outstanding Cuban Revolutionary[:]

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Havana, Nov 28.- Cuban President Raul Castro sent a wreath to honor the outstanding revolutionary Armando Hart, who passed away on Sunday in Havana, local television reported the eve.

Since 21:00 hours, local time, on Sunday, Hart’s body was on display at the Center for Studies on Marti, in Havana, where a vigil was held until 10:00 hours on Monday.

In that center, Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto highlighted the life and work of the renowned intellectual. ‘He was a truly-exceptional thinker who prioritized his dialogue with the young generations by establishing a kind of communication that it was neither paternalist nor overbearing,’ he noted.

For his part, the president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), Fernando Gonzalez, praised the coherence of Hart’s thinking and his legacy about the work by Cuban National Hero Jose Marti, as well as its importance for Latin America and the world.

Armando Hart was born in Havana on June 13, 1930. He was among the founders of the 26 of July Movement and was a member of its National Directorate.

He participated actively in the November 30, 1956, uprising in Santiago de Cuba in support of the landing of the Granma yacht.

After the triumph of the Revolution on January 1, 1959, Hart was appointed minister of Education and led the Literacy Campaign in 1961, as a result of which Cuba was declared an illiteracy-free territory in one year.

He was the minister of Culture until 1997, when he was appointed to head the Office of Marti’s Program, which is attached to the Council of State of Cuba.

Hart also chaired the Jose Marti Cultural Society and received Doctorates Honoris Causa from Cuban and foreign universities. (PL/Photo: ACN) [:]