Cubans to pay virtual tribute to Jose Marti on his birthday

For the first time on Wednesday, Cuba is holding a virtual version of the traditional March of the Torches, which brings together thousands of young people every year to pay tribute to Cuban Apostle Jose Marti.

Starting at 17:00 hours, local time, participants will gather under the motto #AntorchasMartianas #IdealesDeLuz #JuvenilMartiano to commemorate the 168th birthday of Cuba's National Hero.

Organized by the Federation of University Students (FEU), the march of torches is a pilgrimage from the steps of the University of Havana to the so-called Fragua Martiana.

The first march took place at midnight on January 27, 1953, to await the Apostle's 100th birthday, as an action by the student's organization to protest against the critical political-social situation in Cuba at the time under the Fulgencio Batista tyranny.

Jose Marti was a distinguished patriot and an outstanding politician, writer, thinker, teacher, journalist and combatant, who fell in combat on May 19, 1895, in Dos Ríos, in the former Oriente province.