To have soul / and not money ...

It is shocking the image of Brazil’s National Museum in flames, the total destruction of an architectural jewel of the 19th century, the biggest museum of Latin America in natural history. Because of  absurd negligence and the budget that never arrived on time, more than twenty thousand pieces have been lost, which included, among several Egyptian and pre-Columbian mummies, the oldest human fossil of the continent: Luzia, with almost twelve thousand years of existence. 

The vigorous protests in Rio de Janeiro have turned out an alert call for those who underestimate the real value of guarding and maintaining the cultural heritage. It also happens at the Bahamas, where people accuse the authorities of turning deaf ears to the need of protection of a fortress from the Colony period which worsens day after day in the middle of idleness. 

The good-hearted people, who defend, keep and value the material and immaterial cultural heritage of our nations, deserve gratitude. «A voiceless door gets a louder slam, and the world’s still full of voiceless doors», as once wrote  the Cuban poet José Marti in his article named «Los oficios de la alabanza». That’s why we congratulate the preparations for Panama the Old and Havana’s 500 years, and praise for the Iberian Peninsula’s archaeological deposit of Medina Azahara, which has been recognized as seat of the Caliphate of Cordoba in the 10th century, and it is considered a unique example of the protected caliph city. 

In Panama, it will be the fifth centenary of the first city  founded on the American Pacific coast, which archaeological site is World Heritage since 2003, and not that of the old city, the second city born in the now District of Panama. The message of the Patronato Panamá Viejo says that at that time "the route that would turn us into the center of world communications begins ...".

From the Excellences Group, we continue offering our experience and ability for supporting this remarkable opportunity, to be celebrated on the 15th August 2019, right when the Isthmus capital city has received titles like Latin American Capital City of Culture and Creative City in Gastronomy. As model of Havana’s half millennium history, therefore real and wonderful, in Excellences we have been running for two years a press campaign in more than thirty-five media in six languages. Every week we publish the openings and repairs of social and service centers, becoming daily from next November 16th , when the historical center and its fortress system were the first inclusion of the Island on the World Cultural Heritage list, round about 1982. 

We are very pleased of promoting the tumba francesa culture, the rumba and the Cuban punto, and recognitions conferred by the UNESCO in 2001, 2016 and 2017. Cuba also has Trinidad and the Valle de los Ingenios since 1988 as World Cultural Heritage of Humanity, reason why we shall be supporting the Curator’s Office towards the end of September, for the Seminary of Gastronomy. Equally the historical centers of Cienfuegos and Camaguey, the San Pedro de La Roca Castle, the Desembarco del Granma National Park and the archaeological landscape of the first coffee plantations south-east the Great Island, are Cultural Heritage, and the next year shall be celebrated on its twenty years the Valle de Viñales.

Now that Matanzas turns 325 years, we say farewell with deep sadness to the Novia de Cuba, the poetess Carilda Oliver Labra, in memory of her most sensitive poems, which she recited like no one and shared on her last interview for our group at Calzada of Tirry 87: «When my grandmother came/she brought some Spanish land, / when my mother left/ she took some Cuban land. / I shall not keep any bit of native land: / I want it all above my grave».

By: José Carlos de Santiago