The rumba is feeling, it’s passion, it’s energy that drives ... but it’s also conscience, identity, realm of reflection and creative satisfaction. Awareness of my origins: that is the slogan for the XIII edition of Timbalaye Festival, which begins this Tuesday in the social networks of various arts institutions, and in the regular air space of the Clave Channel of the Cuban Television.

The pandemic has impacted on an artistic project that has already made traditional these rumba meetings, which usually take place in Cuba, Mexico, and Italy. The face-to-face meeting could not be held this year, but organizers don’t wish to have a rupture, so a program has been organized that includes concerts, live presentations, and theoretical sessions that can be followed, mainly, by YouTube and Facebook websites of the Ministry of Culture.

To socialize the contents much more there will be a program on the Clave channel of digital television, following suit as other recent virtual festivals.

The rumba is heritage of the Cuban people and also of the world. In November 2016, UNESCO registered La rumba cubana, a festive mix of dance and music, and all the cultural practices inherent in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Timbalaye honors its extraordinary contribution to the panorama of Cuban culture and celebrates its full validity. Because rumba is not only in the origins, it’s also on the path to the future.