Just on the eve of the 168th anniversary of the birth of Cuba’s National Hero José Martí, the Memorial bearing his name in Havana, is celebrating its first 25 years.
It was the Commander in Chief Fidel Castro who gave the idea to turn the highest monument of José Martí —142m above the sea level— into a facility of eternal tribute to the mastermind behind the Moncada Barrack’s attack.
At the end of the opening tour, Fidel said: “You are happy that a man like him has been given this beautiful tribute, so aesthetic. It is really beautiful everything in here. The conception has been excellent. Then, we do have a Memorial now. We thought we had one with the Monument and a star. I think many people will come here now. All Cubans will visit the place.”
This quarter of a century has proven him right. Many Cubans and foreign citizens, including heads of states and other celebrities, have visited this symbolic historical-cultural facility, witness of major events that have been paramount in the history of our nation such as parades, marches, and memorable speeches delivered by the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution.
Some interesting data:
Among the most remarkable events the José Martí Memorial has hosted, we have the posthumous homage paid to the Commander in Chief on November 28th, 2016, as well as the tribute paid in 1997 to the remains of Che Guevara and his guerrilla brothers, its Reinforcement Detachment.
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Memorial, Miguel Díaz-Canel, back then First Vice-President of the Council of States of Ministers, stated that “This place brings us closer to José Martí, this Martí who is vital in our project of nation and the balance of the world.”
That’s the way it has been so far, and the way it will be.
Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff