National Symbols: The Soul of the Nation

National Symbols: The Soul of the Nation
Fecha de publicación: 
10 May 2019
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The National Symbols Act will certainly be an essential document for the nation and, particularly, for Cuba’s education system.

The document, still a draft resolution, was submitted in the headquarters of the Cuban Parliament some time ago. In that opportunity, the Historian of the City, Eusebio Leal Spengler pointed out: “we are debating a cultural subject to make our Homeland more real, tangible. (…) National symbols are the utmost feelings mankind may have.”

This legal standard has been discussed in some spaces and it is going to be submitted to Cuba’s members of Parliament in the upcoming months. However, it shall be a paramount tool for the Education sector as it fosters the training and strength of patriotism and moral values in new generations.

CubaSi shares some views collected from the Education sector, aware of the significance this document will have in the routines of educational institutions and the perfect development of the teaching process.

“National symbols are solemn for all the nation. They codify everything regarding the history of a country. A people without national identity and sound patriotic feelings will not be ready to defend its own future and create its own history,” highlighted Osmany Justis Katt, deputy director of Education in Santiago de Cuba, Ph.D. in Educational Sciences, with a Degree in History.

Therefore —he added— this law is paramount. It will make all criteria on how to preserve our national identity to converge in one point. The more debates generated on elements to be assessed as part of the final document, the better to reach a final, national consensus on those elements we want every Cuban citizen to preserve.

“It is very important in the education of new generations as the standards —from a cultural and legal approach— will be there. And we are responsible for taking them to the classrooms not only to teaching history, but imparting values.”

Gema Diaz Diaz, national director of the Pedagogic Staff of the Ministry of Education (MINED), considered it crucial that our country may have a law for National Symbols, “as it would be the restatement of identity, patriotism, and Cuban traditions.

“They are part of history that identify our revolutionary struggles from the very beginning of the Revolution; and thus, they have great value. Today we are focusing on young men and women who are being trained as future teachers so they learn to love, respect, acknowledge, and show their feelings about national symbols.

This law, whose debates are underway in Provincial and Municipality Councils in the Government with members of the Parliament, with a key role played by Cuba’s High School Students (FEEM) and University Students, is essential today if we take into account what have been already approved in the Constitution and the laws to be adopted,” noted Nurys Pena Rodriguez, director of Education in the Special Municipality Isla de la Juventud.

Among other ideas, she also pointed out that it is vital that young people know the importance of honoring national symbols since all of them must serve the country especially in this context of aggressive policy and war of symbols carried out by the United States against Cuba. “Our identity must be preserve at all costs.”

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Diaz/CubaSi Translation Staff

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