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 Cuban Science Days to Be Headquartered in province of Ciego de Avila
Due to its work in the fields of science, technology and the environment, the Cuban province of Ciego de Avila has been selected as the headquarters for Cuban Science Days celebration—to run from January 9 to February 29.

Dr. Celso Pazos Alberdi, a provincial delegate of the Cuban Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA), reported that 11 scientific-technological programs have been put in operation. These programs address the production of food, sugar and its by-products, human health, energy, environment, social and humanistic sciences, and sustainable tourism, public access to new technologies, security and protection.

“We are carrying out 56 projects linked to territorial programs, and 45 provincial and national programs,” she said.

In addition to these merits, this province was selected the headquarters of such an event because for 11 consecutive years it was awarded national prizes in agriculture, biomedicine, social and natural sciences; these awards were sponsored by the Cuban Academy of Sciences. In addition, in 2008 Ciego de Avila recorded a 42 percent rate of growth in the export goods, which included tobacco, citrus juices and import substitution products such as high-density tubes and plastic goods.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Dr. Lilliam Álvarez Díaz, the CITMA director, reported the selection of Ciego de Avila as the main site for this event at the Jimaguayú hall of the former National Capitol Hill, the CITMA headquarter.

said the Isle of Youth has also received national recognition due to the work conducted in science, technology and environment, as well as in the restoration of facilities damaged by the hurricanes.

“This day was selected because it was precisely on January 15, 1960 that Commander-in-chief Fidel Castro said, “The future of our country must be of people of science.”

The official explained that the “hub” institution, the National Scientific Research Center, founded in 1965, has increased to 217 scientific centers across the country. Nationally, the center has some 71,700 employees—37,608 of whom are women.

The official also announced that Cuban Science Days will begin on January 9 with the inauguration of the Science Pavilion at ExpoCuba. Álvarez Díaz added that the Math and Computer Sciences Society has designated 2009 as “The Year of Math.”

On February 12 will be commemorations of the birthday of Charles Darwin’s, born 200 years ago, and soon there will be also celebrations of the 450th anniversary of the moment Galileo Galilei started to study the outer space as a scientist, from which the scientific method was developed.

On February 13, in the Capitol Building’s Jimaguayú Hall, there will be held the workshop “The Outcomes of Science and Innovation: 50 Years Serving Current Demands of Socio-economic Development in Cuba.”

Havana will host the main activity for the Cuban Science Days on February 17 at in the Molecular Immunology Center. In this event, 30 outstanding people in this sector will be awarded with the Carlos Juan Finlay Order, conferred by the Council of Ministers.

On February 19 in Duaba Hall there will be the setting up of the jury for the Gilberto Caballero Scientific Journalism Competition, whose deadline is on the 15th.

“On February 27, in Yara Hall of the CITMA central office, there will be held a workshop on current scientific issues. The activities will end on the morning of the 28th, José Martí’s birthday, as part of the 169 anniversary of the creation of the National Archive,” said the Science director,

Vito Quevedo Rodríguez, director of CITMA’s Technology and Innovation Department, said that that one of the main challenges facing this ministry for 2009 is to improve scientific-technical services as a way to increase exports and import substitution.

(Juventud Rebelde)

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