General Law for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba

The General Law for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba on 7 September.

This fact was highlighted at a press conference held at the Abelardo Estorino Theatre of the Ministry of Culture (Mincult), attended by members of the various institutions and organisations involved in the drafting of the law.

«In the light of all that we are doing, I believe that this law is a concrete example of what we have called continuity because it is in fact a reaffirmation of the importance and priority that the Cuban State continues to give to the defence of cultural heritage,» said the Minister of Culture, Alpidio Alonso.

The role of education in disseminating the law was one of the aspects highlighted by the Minister, who also noted the importance of the legal provision to defend national heritage in the context of confronting cultural colonisation.

The Minister of Justice, Oscar Manuel Silveira Martínez, emphasised the importance of disseminating the contents of the law and ensuring compliance with it, with the participation of the different bodies and actors that have the power to do so. «So that nothing we do, neither in terms of the regulation that remains to be done in the next six months, nor in everyday life, violates the meaning and scope of this law,» he said.

He also described the legislation as an institutional milestone in the country, as it brings together different considerations in a single document. He also referred to the preparation of a code of offences relating to this legislation and to the importance of education in strengthening practices and institutions for the care of cultural heritage.

The conference also mentioned other contributions of the legislative text, especially in relation to the broader considerations of the categories included, the empowerment of local governments, their responsibilities in the matter and the training of decision-makers and professionals in the different instances.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez