More than one hundred communications professionals and activists from Latin America and other regions will participate in the fifth edition of the Patria Colloquium, to be held in Havana next week.
According to the president of the Union of Journalists of Cuba (UPEC), Ricardo Ronquillo, the meeting, to be held in the central Vedado neighborhood, has special significance in a context marked by Washington’s aggression against this nation, which includes a fierce smear campaign against the Revolution.
In this context, he said, Patria responds to the need to connect public and private media outlets, projects, and communications initiatives with a progressive and left-leaning orientation to more effectively confront the communication offensive of the major hegemonic media outlets.
Therefore, this year’s International Colloquium focuses on the exchange of experiences and knowledge in a hybrid format (in-person and virtual) that also allows for the active participation of specialists, managers and communications leaders from across the country.
Patria, which will inaugurate its permanent headquarters in Havana during this edition, has special significance as it will commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Cuban people’s victory against the mercenary invasion at Playa Girón and the declaration of the socialist character of the Revolution, Ronquillo noted.
According to organizing committee member Daniel González, the meeting aims to bring together activists and professionals and establish Cuba as a hub for alternative communication in Latin America and other parts of the world.
In addition to expert lectures and the presentation of communication proposals at various booths, the colloquium will include international training workshops for public media and institutions, focused on young people, the effective use of new technologies, and the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence.
Side events such as book presentations and activities for children (coinciding with the school break in Cuba) will also be held to transform the event—in Ronquillo’s words—into a popular celebration of knowledge.
The Patria International Colloquium, convened annually by the UPEC (Union of Cuban Journalists), will be conducted with maximum resource efficiency and largely self-funded, in accordance with the country’s complex economic situation resulting from the maximum pressure policy exerted by the United States government against the island.
[ SOURCE: PRENSA LATINA ]
