Fidel calls for achieving a general
integral culture

PRESIDENT Fidel Castro has affirmed that achieving a general integral culture currently constitutes the only effective antidote against attempts to globalize the culture of domination and manipulation in the world.

In a letter sent to participants at the José Martí International Colloquium for a Culture of Nature, which ended yesterday, the president noted that Cuba is opening new and promising ways of attaining a general integrated culture for its citizens.

In his opinion that is "the only effective antidote against attempts to globalize the culture of domination, manipulation, idolization and individualism that is currently hypnotizing and marginalizing millions of human beings."

In his missive Fidel reiterates that the world needs renovative ideas like those contained in the philosophy of José Martí, Cuba’s national hero, in which he found "the infinite value of justice and the force of truth."

Fidel laments not having been able to attend the forum dedicated to Martí’s thought due to his accident last week in the central city of Santa Clara, which resulted in broken left kneecap and a hairline fracture in his right arm.

He felt that the important event was inspired by noble, current and relevant ideas in the turbulent and complex world of today.

Fidel Castro observed that the Martí apothegm "The homeland is humanity" has exceptional relevance in a world where unresolved political conflicts, increasingly sophisticated weapons and extremist doctrines are leading to illegal and unjustifiable wars.

In that context, he denounced events in Baghdad, Iraq where the might of imperialism headed by the United States destroyed veritable treasures of universal culture in the name of an alleged crusade against terrorism.

He comments that that is compounded by the implacable destruction of the environment in sacrificing the sustainability of human life to the profits of the large centers of financial and economic power.

The Cuban leader notes that from his constant relevance, Martí exhorts the search for balance in international relations, society and among individuals. He states that he is convinced that a forum like this one serves to sensitize international public opinion concerning the dramatic crisis that is threatening humanity, thus promoting a search for solutions to problems that threaten life on the planet.