Speech given by Ambassador Anayansi Rodríguez Camejo, at the opening of the Exhibit: #UnblockCuba, winners of Poster Contest at the Center for Cuban Studies. New York, 13 October 2017.
Good evening,
Dear colleagues from the Center for Cuban Studies of New York,
Dear colleagues from the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the United Nations,
Dear friends from the Solidarity Movement with Cuba,
Dear all,
We are here today thanks to the Center for Cuban Studies of New York that kindly allowed us to exhibit these masterworks, pertaining to the winners and best projects of an international Poster Contest launched in May by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Design Office of Cuba.
The contest was aimed at promoting the connection of design and visual arts in general with the legitimate claim of the Cuban people and the world for the end of the economic, commercial and financial blockade which the United States Government has continued to enforce against Cuba for more than five decades.
That is the reason why it has been entitled: #UnblockCuba.
It was a competition in which Cuban and international designers, artists and students applied their work. In fact, more than 100 entries of artists from 8 countries: Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, China, United States, Italy, Japan and Mexico, were received by the Jury. Winners were selected based on which view better reflected through graphic design what the blockade imposed by the United States government against Cuba for almost 60 years means for the Cuban people and for the world.
Today, our exhibit is made up of 3 winner entries, 7 special mentions and 8 best projects selected by the Jury.
As explained at the contest launching, winners would be those who were able to better get the idea of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba as a failed policy sustained for over 55 years, causing damage to the Cuban people and the entire Cuban society.
The US Blockade has been internationally rejected as it has been proved to be a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of the human rights not only of the Cubans, but also of the American people and their interests.
As a policy, even when current President Donald Trump publicly alleged that it would be in place for a long time, the majority of the US people have called for its lifting. The Cuban people, supported by the international community, have also claimed for its unilateral and unconditional end.
Back to the contest, we wish to announce that the first prize was won by Liz Capote Alonso, from Cuba, who used child-like graphic codes in order to transmit, through serenity and tenderness, the resistance and strength of our people in facing this genocidal policy.
The second award, through the use of basic design resources as the continuity of a pattern that is broken with a falling dove, was given to Armando Mesa Perez, also from Cuba.
And finally, the third place winner was Ana Laura Peirone from Argentina, who used optical contrast, text and formal syntactic to feature an open lock as a simile for the necessity of ending the US blockade imposed against our small island.
The special mentions and best projects are also aesthetically and symbolically effective in bringing together art, design and a denunciation of the Cuban people, the American people and the whole world.
Before all of you can enjoy this exhibit, made with the heart by all contestants, I would like to stress that Cuba will continue to claim in all international forums the end of the unfair US blockade.
In addition, these masterpieces, made not only by Cubans, show that the world is ready to discuss once again at the UN and inside the United States, issues concerning the blockade.
That is why, on November 1st, we will present the Resolution 71/5 of the United Nations General Assembly entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”.
Then, tonight we invite you all to be delighted with our exhibit and also support us on this fight that will end when the US government removes unilaterally and unconditionally this unfair policy against the people of our small island.
Thank you very much.
(Cubavsbloqueo-Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations)
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