Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel today congratulated workers in the scientific sector on the occasion of their National Day and recognised the importance of this branch in boosting the island’s development.
«On Cuban Science Day, a grateful embrace to our scientists, from all fields of knowledge, who in the face of great challenges continue to do science. When we speak of creative resistance, you are the reference point. The path of Cuba, I insist, is the path of knowledge,» the president wrote on his official account on X.
For his part, the Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero, sent an acknowledgement to the men and women of science, «who make valuable contributions to the economic and social development of the country».
Thank you for your tireless work and for making the dreams of the Commander-in-Chief of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, come true,» Marrero added on X.
In turn, the Vice-President of the Republic of Cuba, Salvador Valdés, stressed that Cuban scientists «constitute a bulwark of the progress and development of our nation and an expression of the creative resistance of our people».
«Despite the difficult conditions faced by the country in 2024, 12 strategic projects related to the increase of foreign exchange earnings from exports of goods and services, as well as energy production, with emphasis on energy generated by renewable sources, were strengthened,» said Armando Rodríguez, Minister of Science, Technology and Environment (Citma), recently.
He indicated that they consolidated other projects related to increasing food production, creating new tourism products and increasing efficiency in nickel production.
The head of Citma said that Cuba has 156 Science, Technology and Innovation entities, three science and technology parks, 12 high-tech companies and nine Interface companies.
Rodríguez detailed that in 2024, more than 300 professionals were categorised as Titular, Auxiliary or Merit researchers, while there are 241 certified scientific journals in the country.
In addition, some 91,130 workers are linked to science, technology and innovation at the national level, while 21,729 researchers were fully dedicated to science, including university professors.
For their contributions to the sector in 2024, Sancti Spíritus, Pinar del Río, Camagüey and Holguín obtained the status of outstanding provinces.
Havana 15 is organising this national date for the third time since its establishment in 1990, three decades after the Commander-in-Chief of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, foresaw that «the future of the Caribbean nation must necessarily be of men of science».
Fidel Castro uttered the phrase in a speech he was to give at the 20th Anniversary of the Speleological Society of Cuba on 15 January 1960.