The official recognition establishes the Cuban state and its institutions’ commitment to safeguarding, preserving, and especially disseminating his work

Directly involved with the valuable legacy of the illustrious intellectual are the José Martí National Library, the Institute of Literature and Linguistics, the House of Africa, the National Museum of Music, and the Fernando Ortiz Foundation, whose president, the poet and ethnologist Miguel Barnet, presented a vivid recollection of his teacher and described his contributions as the most extraordinary in the field of Cuban Social Sciences throughout the twentieth century.Barnet’s dedication to the study and dissemination of Don Fernando’s work was praised by Eusebio Leal, Havana City Historian and host of the event.Dr. Eduardo Torres-Cuevas also spoke highlighting the importance of Ortiz’s studies for young scientists and intellectuals, while Dr. Nuria Gregori described the work of librarians, technicians, and archivists, in both the Institute of Literature and Linguistics and the National Library, in the care and cataloging of tens of thousands of manuscripts and documents.

(Granma)

The Group of Research and Development of the Culture Provincial Direction in Matanzas, summoned the tenth edition of the theoretical event named after the eminent anthropologist, lawyer, archaeologist, journalist and ethnologist.

Ortiz (1881-1969) was a scholar of the Afrocuban historic and cultural roots and is considered the third discoverer of Cuba after Cristobal Colon and Alexander Humboldt.

As is usual, the Theoretical Forum Fernando Ortiz has the objective of studying from different theme and methodological points of view, the study of Cubanness, specifically the Matanzas identity, indicated the venues organizers.

The topics in the agenda are the aboriginal presence in the 16th and 17th Centuries, Influence of the different ethnical components of national and local culture and Our cultural roots and popular and traditional culture.

The list of topics is completed by Community Work: Human Improvement Projects through Cultural Traditions.

The agenda of the forum will include an inaugural conference. The most humble also created the national by Fernando Martinez Heredia, president of the Cultural Research Institute Juan Marinello.

The Forum will be part of the 11th Fiesta of the Origins, celebration conceived to expose the variety of ethnical components, based on the Matanzas culture, as well as the influence of other nations, said the source.

(Prensa Latina)