At the 109th GRIPS Forum on June 1, 2015, H.E. Mr. Marcos Fermin Rodríguez Costa, Ambassador of the Republica of Cuba en Japan, gave a lecture titled “CUBA: A SOCIETY IN PROGRESS”.

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Abstract

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Cuba historically has caused the interest and curiosity of millions of people worldwide.

A country nestled in the Caribbean Sea and which for more than 50 years, since 1959, has carried out a Revolution that radically changed the destiny of its people. Cuba, despite the enormous difficulties and challenges that had to go through in this half a century, is definitely now a “Society in Progress”. In Japan, the situation and life in Cuba arouses great interest. This conference will attempt to illustrate about Cuba, its history, its traditions, its political views, culture and especially the present situation of the so called “Pearl of the Caribbean”.

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Speakers’ Profile:?H.E. Mr. Marcos Fermin Rodríguez Costa

1972-1974: Head of Department at the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).

1974-1979: Third Secretary at the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in Iraq.

1979-1981: Official at the Middle East Desk in the Ministry.

1981-1986: First Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission at the Cuban Embassy in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

1986-1991: Head of Department at the Middle East Desk in the Ministry.

1991-1994: Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Cuban Embassy in Zimbabwe.

1994:Designate to open the Cuban Embassy in South Africa, after the official establishment of Diplomatic Relations and appointed as Charge D? Affairs.

1994-1995: Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Cuban Embassy in South Africa.

1995-1997: Deputy Director for Sub-Sahara Africa in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

1997-1999: Director for Sub Sahara Africa in the Ministry.

1999-2003: Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in the Republic of South Africa.

2003-2005: Director for Sub-Sahara Africa in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2005-2012: Appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

2012-Ambassador of the Republica of Cuba en Japan