HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 13 (acn) The Director of the National Sex Education Center, CENESEX, Mariela Castro met on Thursday with members of the anti war movement Code Pink currently visiting Cuba.
Mariela spoke to the 148 members of the solidarity organization on Thursday at the headquarters of the Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, ICAP, about the work carried out by the center against homophobia across the country with different educational workshops, activities and conferences. She stressed that the center started working in the fight against homophobia in 2007 and said that it has been a policy of the Cuban government and Communist Party. This, she said is in compliance with the 1st Communist Party Conference that was held in January of 2012.
The Director of the National Sex Education Center said that there is still work to be done since there is still homophobia among the population. But, “we have come a long way” in getting the population to accept diversity. The topic, she said used to be a “taboo in our society”. She stressed that “every year we successfully hold a rally against homophobia with a growing number of participants”.
Mariela continued by saying that there are “radio and television reports on the topic and a network of activists linked to CENESEX across the country educating the population”. We are moving forward in the National Assembly on many issues.
The also member of the Cuban Parliament, Mariela Castro welcomed the thanked Code Pink for their support of Cuba and urged them to continue in their struggle to end Washington’s economic blockade that affects society in general.
Code Pink organized a group of 148 solidarity activists that arrived to the island last Sunday to express their support of Cuba and demand an end to Washington’s over 50 year old blockade, the closure of the prison camp in Guantanamo, the return of the illegal US Naval Base to Cuba and will work for Cuba to be eliminated from the list of countries that sponsor international terrorism. Code Pink members also met with former Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon on Monday.
Among some of the leaders of the group is the co founder of Code Pink Medea Benjamin; co founder Jodie Evans; Tara Thompson representing the African American community in Ferguson, Missouri; Marsha Coleman coordinator of the Washington DC based Hands up Coalition; Kymone Freeman, activist and radio personality in DC; Ann Wright former US Army Colonel and retired US State Department official and Lisa Valenti solidarity activist and member of the US Pastors for Peace organization.
Code Pink solidarity activists are carrying out a number of activities and visiting places of interest on the island. The members will also celebrate Valentine’s Day with an expression of love to the Cuban people and will conclude their visit on Sunday.
cubanews
acn Cuban News Agency, February 13, 2015
