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Toronto Celebrates the Day of Friendship with Cuba

CANADA, August 31, 2010 - With the demand for the liberation of the Five Cuban Heroes imprisoned in the United States and the end of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States, the fifteenth edition of the Day of Friendship with Cuba was celebrated in Toronto´s City Hall on last Saturday August 28.

Faced with numerous friends, an important presence of the Cuba solidarity movement in Toronto and of the Association of Cubans, Juan Gualberto Gómez, the Ambassador of Cuba to Canada, Teresita de Jesus Vicente Sotolongo, delivered the main speech, in which she thanked the solidarity and friendship with Cuba in Canada. There were also present the Vice President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), Basilio Gutiérrez García, and Raul Cardoso Cabrera, from that organization, and also Antonio Rodríguez Varcárcel, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of Cuba and Jorge Francisco Soberon Luis, General Consul of Cuba based in the city, among other officials of the Cuban Diplomatic Mission. The President of the Canadian Cuban Friendship Association of Toronto, Elizabeth Hill, said the growing ties between the Cuban and Canadian people was shown by the visit to Cuba of more than 900,000 people from Canada in 2009.

Tony Ruprecht, member of Provincial Parliament, recognized the admiration of Canadians for Cuba and in particular the profound dignity that characterizes our people. He read a message of friendship from the premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty. The national flag of Cuba was hoisted, the Cuban national hymn was sung and the event featured Cuban music, dancing and typical food, to the delight of hundreds of people that crossed the central plaza. (Cubaminrex - Embacuba Canadá)