The Chamber of Commerce of United States was the host today of a meeting on the current panorama of the agricultural sector in Cuba, and had the participation of the Cuban Minister in the field, Gustavo Rodríguez.

Cuban Minister Rodríguez explained the plans of the Cuban authorities guided to stimulate the agricultural development of the island, and had a meeting with Carlos Gutiérrez, president of the United States -Cuba Business Council (USCBC).

Cuba has been elected as a member of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage at UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). During the 6th General Assembly of States Parties of UNESCO, the Latin American and Caribbean group approved the motion that Cuba, Guatemala and Colombia be represented in this important intergovernmental body.

Cuba will now occupy (from 2016-2020) one of the 24 seats of the Committee for a term of four years. Cuba has two dossiers submitted for examination at the Committee: the candidature of Cuban Rumba for possible inclusion in UNESCO's 2016 Intangible Heritage List and 'The Punto Cubano' scheduled for 2017.

The first international preparatory meeting of the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students will be on session from June 4 to 7 in the city of Caracas, capital of Venezuela.

Jose Angel Maury de Toro, secretary general of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY), explained that the very recent tragedy experienced by Ecuador prevents from doing this time what it is tradition for these events: holding the first preparatory meeting for a Festival in the host country of the previous edition.