Santiago de Cuba Granted Distinction to Eusebio Leal

July 10, 2018

In the context of the 38th edition of the Festival of Fire, the prestigious Cuban intellectual received the recognition of Illustrious Son of the City of Santiago de Cuba and the International Casa del Caribe Prize

Published: Friday July 06 2018 | 09:10:21 PM Updated: Friday July 06 2018 | 09:47:21 PM

The prestigious Cuban intellectual and director of the Office of the Historian of the City of La Habana, Doctor Eusebio Leal Spengler, was distinguished on the eve with the status of Illustrious Son of the City of Santiago de Cuba, one of the highest recognitions granted by the Municipal Assembly of People's Power in the heroic city.

The distinction was presented in the context of the 38th edition of the Caribbean Festival in a ceremony headed by members of the Central Committee of the PCC Lázaro Expósito Canto, first secretary of the Party in Santiago de Cuba and Beatriz Jhonson Urrutia, vice president of the Council of State and president of the Provincial Assembly of People's Power.

The recognition, it became clear at the presentation ceremony, rewards the committed actions of the Doctor in Historical Sciences Leal Spengler in the dissemination of the rich history of Santiago and the permanent defense of its heritage, from the knowledge of its historical and cultural hierarchy; work with which he has exalted the merits that the city Hero of the Republic of Cuba proudly possesses.

In the resolution approved for these purposes, the close ties established since his youth by the also distinguished academic and president of the National Commission of Monuments, with personalities related to the safeguarding of the heritage of the former province of Oriente and his leading role in the emergence of the Office of the Conservator of the City of Santiago, in 1997, are highlighted, with which he has since maintained constant conceptual, methodological and technical work.

Also praised was Leal's relationship with far-reaching projects such as the conservation of the patrimonial cemetery Santa Ifigenia, the restoration of the monumental area 26 de Julio, of the Castillo del Morro site and the guerrilla fronts, among others.

Raúl Fornés Valenciano, president of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power said that Eusebio Leal is and will be for Cubans a mandatory reference in the conservation not only of national heritage, but also of the history of Cuba.

The scope of his works, he stated, is not limited only to the aesthetic, it goes beyond, it goes to the spiritual; and he highlighted the convictions, patriotism, the firmness of his social commitment and infinite dedication to the work of the Revolution of Leal Spengler.

For his part the director of the Office of the Conservator of the City of Santiago de Cuba, Master Omar López Rodríguez noted that the patrimonial management scheme implemented by the tenacity and innovative capacity of Eusebio Leal is a universal reference and has earned him recognition for his convincing and effective personal work.

Eusebio is an intellectual honored like few others, because he embodies the safeguarding of the most beautiful, pure and essential of our people: their identity, said Omar López and praised the special sense of duty, intelligence used in service of good and the innate oratory capacity of the intellectual, prolific historian and politician.

The heroic city, López Rodríguez emphasized, will never forget his decisive contributions to dignify the sites of our city that mark the history of the nation.

As part of the solemn ceremony, which took place at the Antonio Maceo Revolution Square, Eusebio Leal was also conferred the International Casa del Caribe Prize, a distinction that is awarded each year to personalities and groups with contributions to Cuban and Caribbean culture and which consists of the mpaka, ox horn, which is part of the nganga, the central object of practitioners of the Bantu Rule or Palo Monte in Cuba.

«With this act we recognize his valuable contributions to Cuban, Caribbean and universal culture and his evident and clear contributions to that synthesis of the world that we Caribbeans are. Interpret this object as a talisman and a safeguard that the legitimate sons of Santiago de Cuba deliver to you with pride, from the threshold of their intimacy as a people, so that you continue protecting it as the moral monument to the Revolution that you represent,» said Orlando Vergés, director of Casa del Caribe, upon presenting the symbol.

Minutes later the priest Juan Martell Portuondo, babalao and president of the Santiago branch of the Yoruba Cultural Association of Cuba and Manolo Popellono, of the Yoruba Cultural Association of Cuba, placed the attribute in Leal's hands, who received it deeply moved.

In his words of gratitude the historian from La Habana interpreted the honor as encouragement in this stage of life in which he makes a summary of what has been possible to accomplish and noted that none of this would have been concluded without the transcendental event that began in Santiago de Cuba on July 26, 1953.

Leal Spengler expressed his gratitude to Santiago and said that he assumed the recognitions with the same spirit of the epitaph that accompanies the tomb of Salvador Cisneros Betancourt, in the memorial cemetery of Camagüey: 'mortal, let no title astonish you, dust and only dust, like man'.

«Covered with those ashes that must be imposed when vanity assaults like a serpent the heart of the man who is honorable, I receive the title of Son of a city that I always considered as the womb of the Homeland: How many great sons it had! To compare ourselves to them, is truly an extraordinary and perpetually undeserved event,» he emphasized.

Also present at the ceremony were Erdwin González, delegate of the Mission of Puerto Rico in Cuba; the National Prize for Plastic Arts Eduardo Roca Salazar (Choco), the National Prize for Literature Nancy Morejón and Alberto Lescay, president of the Caguayo Foundation for Monumental and Applied Arts, among other intellectuals and artists participating in the 38th edition of the Caribbean Festival.

Source: Juventud Rebelde