By Merri Ansara
You have an invitation to join me at the International Conference for World Balance, January 28 to 31st in Havana Cuba. This will be an extraordinary conference for peace activists and an opportunity for them to get to know what the rest of the world is thinking and doing as we move further into this threatening and uncertain era. Massachusetts Peace Action has been especially invited, which is certainly an honor. The World Balance Conference gathers together people from around the world (2023 saw 1100 people from 89 countries) to “discuss the defense of social justice, evenhanded development, dialogue and peace; solidarity and the desire to build a better world. It is pluralistic and multidisciplinary and is supported and co-sponsored by UNESCO, the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science & Culture, the Fundación Cultura de Paz (Spain), Soka Gakkai International, the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) and other international, regional and domestic institutions.
You can read about the World Balance Conference here, and you can make arrangements to attend with Marazul Tours, malonso@marazultours.com. You can come early and stay on, attending the Jazz Festival Jan. 27 to Feb 3, or the International Book Fair Feb. 13-23, or just to have more time getting to know the people of Cuba. There are other events this winter and spring, see here, and other organized trips and brigades, such as the May Day Brigade.
You can come to Cuba for a week or so any time this winter and spring just to hang out and to get to know Cuba and the Cuban people. I’ll be there through April. Come to express your friendship with the Cuban people, see the situation for yourself, have a good time with me and my friends. Do try to come before the incoming set of evil twins, Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, can end all legal possibilities of visiting Cuba, and before we absolutely need to be back home to try to stop the rest of the evil cabal from doing its worst to the American people and abroad. 
I was just in Cuba November 15 to 22nd, my 4th trip of 2024. You can see my report of the November trip here, in a webinar I presented November 25 – here. Cuba has been through an extraordinary string of disasters this fall, including 2 hurricanes, 2 earthquakes, and repeated collapses of the national electric grid due to lack of oil and repair parts. No matter what difficulties, omissions, mistakes or errors the Cuban government itself makes, no matter what role climate change plays in these natural disasters, the major responsibility for the disasters lies with the policies of the U.S. government. Since the start of the 63 year old embargo, and intensifying after the beginning of Trump’s presidency in 2016 and continuing through Biden’s term, the U.S. government has imposed unduly harsh measures on Cuba and the Cuban people. You can read about those US measures here, here or here. 
What’s amazing, though, is the extent to which the Cuban people are still the resilient, outgoing, community minded, friendly and welcoming people that those of us who visit know. Come see for yourself. It’s a good time to go, despite the shortages and hardships. In fact, it’s an important time to go: Come, bring a suitcase of donations for a school or a community health center, stay in a private home, walk around the city, visit the dance venues and the music clubs, eat at the myriads of restaurants that have sprung up all over the city. Ride in Old Cars. Meet the Cuban people. Ask them about their lives and their hopes for the future.
So please come to Cuba, any time this winter. I’ll l be happy to see you. Come under the US regulations category of Support for the Cuban People. You can read the regulations from one of the most popular airlines that flies to Cuba right here. You can book directly with the airlines, and arrange your private home stay through AirBnB. (I recommend getting a place in the Vedado neighborhood). Or you get in touch with Marazul Tours, the leading US travel operator for Cuba, by writing to malonso@marazultours.com, and have them handle it for you.
I just gave a webinar on traveling to Cuba, and you can access it here. Or the YouTube of the complete presentation on MAPA’s YouTube channel.
And one other thing? Please take a moment to urge President Biden to take Cuba off the worst of the current measures, the SSOT. Use the White House Contact form to paste in a letter such as this one. Call the White House on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 3pm, using the DSA Call Relay – here. Also please write to your Representative and Senators to push them to push Biden to do what he can before the end of his term. Take Cuba off the SSOT.
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Merri Ansara is an activist, community organizer, and Massachusetts Peace Action Board Member.
