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Proclamation declaring Saturday, July 30, 2016 to be “U.S. Cuba Friendship Day” in Allegheny County.
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WHEREAS, Cuba is a small island nation, located 90 miles south of Florida, with 12 million citizens, and the United States blockade has had over these past 60 years a profound impact on the people of Cuba and its development as a nation. In October 2015, the United Nations General Assembly for the 24th year in a row voted to end the blockade of Cuba, declaring it to be in violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law; and
WHEREAS, in 1998, the City of Pittsburgh became Matanzas, Cuba’s official Sister City, encouraging mutual engagement efforts between local government officials, the University of Pittsburgh, and many community organizations promoting friendship and camaraderie based in citizen diplomacy; and
WHEREAS, on December 17, 2014, President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced a new era of relations which would reengage Cuba with respect for Cuba’s sovereignty and establishment of diplomatic relations and eliminate all travel restrictions on U.S. residents, and open exchange of ideas, fair trade business opportunities, responsible investment, energy innovation, disaster cooperation, environmental management and innovative medical advances; and
WHEREAS, the Pittsburgh-Matanzas Sister Cities Partnership sponsored a “Citizen Diplomacy” delegation to Cuba in November 2015 together with individuals representing community, cultural, academic, scientific, energy innovation, environmental sustainability, direct flights, sports and commerce, and reaffirmed Pittsburgh’s dedication and continued commitment to build bridges of mutual benefit between our two countries; and
WHEREAS, Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh recently welcomed the Cuban Minister of Sports (INDER), Dr. Antonio Bacali; Lic. Marta Lidia Ruiz, INDER’s Director of International Relations; Heriberto Suarez Pereda, Cuba’s Boxin...
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