Russia-Cuba Friendship Society celebrated 60th anniversary

The ceremony took place on 14 November 2024 at the Central House of Scientists in Moscow. Ildus Chukmarov, Deputy Director of the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies for Advanced Training and Industrial Partnerships, Chairman of the Tatarstan Regional Branch of the Russia-Cuba Friendship Society.

The participants were welcomed by Alexei Lavrov, President of RCFS, Julio Garmendia Peña, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Russia, and Leonid Savin, Chairman of the Board of the Fidel Castro Foundation.

The event began with the premiere of a documentary about the sixty-year history of the RCFS, which was met with great applause.
After that there were reports: Hero of the Republic of Cuba, President of the Cuban Peoples’ Friendship Institute Fernando Gonzalez Llort presented a report “Recognition of the RCFS for the contribution to the movement of solidarity with Cuba in Russia”; Alexey Lavrov spoke on “The 60th anniversary of the RCFS: History, Modernity and Prospects“; Vladimir Davydov, Scientific Director of the Institute of Latin America of the Russian Academy of Sciences, spoke about ‘The Historical Significance of the Cuban Revolution and Factors of International Solidarity’; Irina Kiviko, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea and Head of the Crimean Branch of the RCFS, devoted her report to the interaction between the regions of Russia and Cuba (”Regions of Russia together with Cuba!“); Victor Shabrin, Vice-President of the Russian Union of Journalists of Cuba, presented his new book “Cuba – My Love!”.

In Victor Shabrin’s book he talked about the activities of the Regional Branch of RCFS in the Republic of Tatarstan under the leadership of Ildus Chukmarov. It should be noted that the All-Union Soviet-Cuban Friendship Society was founded on November 11, 1964. Its first president was first human in space Yuri Gagarin, and the first organizational meeting was attended by a Cuban government delegation headed by Ernesto Che Guevara.

The core of the Tatarstan regional branch of the Russian Society for Friendship with Cuba, established in 2019, is the Center for Advanced Training, Quality Management and Marketing (CdoGEO) of the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies of Kazan Federal University. KFU cooperates with specialists from the Republic of Cuba in scientific and educational areas. The friendship of the peoples of the Republic of Tatarstan with the Republic of Cuba in the post-Soviet period has been maintained through additional professional education.
The renewed Regional Branch of RCFS for the Republic of Tatarstan under the leadership of Ildus Chukmarov started its active work in 2021. Members of the Tatarstan branch are 21 people – employees and partners of CdoGEO. The main objectives of the Regional Branch of RCFS for the Republic of Tatarstan were defined as:
– Helping Cuban companies to increase oil production at the lowest possible cost;
– Ensuring Cuba’s energy independence;
– Improving the quality and standard of living of the Cuban people through the application of new technologies and knowledge.
From 1978 to 1988, 250 Cubans studied at Kazan University, successfully passed exams and received diplomas. About 150 of them work today in Cuba and hold positions in the education system and national economy of Cuba; other graduates live and work in Europe, Africa, and Latin American countries.
In 2017, Danis Nurgaliyev, Vice-Rector for Earth Sciences, and Ildus Chukmarov, Director of CdoGEO, visited the Republic of Cuba. During the visit, they familiarized themselves with the oil and gas industry and discussed joint scientific and educational projects.