Cuban Children and Youth Mark Anniversaries of their Organizations

Elementary school children and youths today celebrate the 55th birthday of the Jose Marti Pioneer Children organization and the 54 anniversary of the Young Communist League as they commit themselves to their academic duties and the support of the Cuban Revolution.

The Jose Marti Pioneer Children organization, named after Cuba´s National Hero, groups students from first to ninth grade and is to hold a national assembly July 15-17 to consider major concerns of its members to improve its role and functions.

The study as main duty of all children with emphasis on the history of each locality, cultural festivals and the scout movement were some of the issues dealt with in hundreds of meetings already held at schools throughout the country, said organization president Liudmila Lopez in conversation with the Cuban News Agency.

These meetings will conclude in early May at municipal level, but the debate will continue through the school year to continue improving the process, said the student leader.

Meanwhile, the first secretary of the Cuban Young Communist Organization, Yuniasky Crespo called on the new generations to focus on the academy and to keep accompanying the Cuban Communist Party and the Revolution in main production and service activities.

"We have many reasons to do so, even more when we are at the doors of the 7th Congress of the Cuban Communist Party, which is a very important event for the development of the country," said Crespo.

The youth leader said that main challenges for the organization are to keep being at the head of the Cuban youth as a political organization and support the reinforcement of the ideology of new generations in today´s reality.

Activities to mark the anniversaries of the two organizations opened April 1 with a workshop dedicated to mark the 90th birthday of Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro. The children and youngsters have also participated in voluntary work in agriculture, support of children without parental care and in hospitals; they have held sports and recreational activities to celebrate the date as well.