CUBA, February 11, 2009. On the second day of her official visit to Cuba, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet held talks with the Cuban head of State Raul Castro, who welcomed her officially at the Revolution Palace. Bachelet also visited Scientific and Cultural institutions in Havana. Raul Castro presided over the official welcoming ceremony for the visiting Chilean President at Havana’s Palace of the Revolution. President Bachelet was saluted with due ceremony by the unit of the Armed Forces General Staff. Both, Michelle Bachelet and Raul Castro greeted their delegations. The Cuban delegation was made up of Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon, the member of the Communist Party Central Committee Secretariat Fernando Ramirez de Estenoz, and government officials. During her second day in Cuba, the Chilean President inaugurated the exhibit “From Abstraction to Kinetic Arts”, by Chilean artist Matilde Perez at the Casa de Las Americas cultural institution. During the painting exhibit, Bachelet said that it was a privilege for her and her delegation to attend the sample of the 89-year old artist. “Along her marvelous paintings, this sample is another way to boot what we have planned to achieve with our trip: keep on our route towards integration and cooperation, though in some areas we have already implemented joint projects,” said the Chilean President. The president of the Casa de Las Americas Roberto Fernandez Retamar, Culture Minister Abel Prieto and the president of the Cuban Union of Artists and Writers Miguel Barnet exchanged with Michelle Bachelet and with artist Matilde Perez during the event. Kinetic arts was one of the most significant artistic movements of the second half of the 20th Century and although the movement particularly developed in Europe, Latin American artists contributed important language and aesthetic elements to that movement. Also on Wednesday, the Chilean President attended the signing of a memorandum of understanding to further boost bilateral cooperation projects in the field of biotechnology. The document was signed at Havana´s Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center. Bachellet learned of the most recent achievements of Cuba in biotechnology aimed at protecting human health. "It is a great honor and a privilege for me to learn about the extraordinary experience of the western Havana Scientific Center," said Bachelet as cited by the Cuban news agency. The memorandum of understanding allows for future cooperation in technology transfer and for joint research aimed at improving the health of our people, said Bachelet. Earlier on Wednesday, the Chilean President paid tribute to Cuba´s National Hero Jose Marti. Michelle Bachelet laid a wreath at the statute of the Cuban Independence Hero in the Revolution Square and toured the museum that treasures documents and literature of the Cuban Apostle. (Cubaminrex- ACN) |