On Saturday, International Women’s Day, the Palace of the Revolution was the scene of a moving meeting between the President of the Republic and a representation of Cuban women from various generations, who shared their life stories and recalled the legacy of Celia and Vilma in the history of the homeland.

Havana, Mar 9 (ACN) On Saturday afternoon, diverse voices and unique emotions, born of sensitive, warrior, defiant women, filled the emblematic Portocarrero Hall of the Palace of the Revolution. Women of various generations, protagonists of daily battles, young women who carry in their hands the strength of the present were received by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, in this space charged with symbolism, where the history of Cuba beats and the legacy of Celia and Vilma is kept alive.

In every face there was a story; in every look, the pride of also being the continuity of the homeland. And where Celia Sánchez left traces that are today part of the soul of the nation, and where transcendental decisions for Cuba have been forged, a handful of heroic women, representing thousands of others, ratified with their words the unwavering commitment to continue building, from love and resistance, the Cuba for which so many fought and continue to fight.

The Head of State described the Cuban women as heroic women, and said he was happy to have shared the life stories of a handful of women warriors who, from twenty or so sectors, are enhancing the work of the Revolution day by day, precisely on International Women’s Day. He was joined by Political Bureau member Teresa Amarelle Boue, Secretary General of the Federation of Cuban Women.

Some younger, others not so young, but all united by the conviction of how much Cuban women mean in the history of the nation and in the daily defence of the conquests that we have been winning through sacrifice.

The journalist and historian Dayli Sánchez Lemus, who today assumes the responsibility of being the deputy director of the Office of Historical Affairs of the Council of State, spoke passionately about the noble soul and tireless spirit of Celia Sánchez, a place that was born from the drive and vision of Celia, who always defended the importance of preserving even the smallest detail of history.

The photographs and documents stored there, he said, preserve a wealth of ideas, anecdotes and knowledge that it is essential to pass on to younger people, because «what you don’t know, you don’t love, and what you don’t love, you can’t defend».

Two other dear women who are in charge of important house-museums in the country, where the history of the woman who was once a woman who shudders at the mere mention of her name is carefully treasured, also spoke of the child Celia, daughter, sister, friend.

Cedalia Cabrera Motne, who for more than 50 years worked in the Palace of the Revolution and had the privilege of working closely with Fidel and Celia, and of helping to bring to fruition many of the projects born of their ingenuity, also shared her experiences with joy and pride. «After so many years, to see this youth of women, with this love, with this desire to succeed, fills us with pride; before there were only a few of us, today there are many,» she said.

Colonel Tania Sánchez Limonta, who worked in the Border Brigade for 25 years, becoming second-in-command of that unit, could not help but be moved when she remembered Vilma, from whom she learned that «love is also very important for the accomplishment of missions», a principle she has always tried to apply during her career, however complex military life may be.

She also thanked Fidel, because when he decided to create the Pelotón de las Marianas in 1958, she pointed out, he made us women the eternal escorts of the Cuban Revolution.

«Thank you for opening the doors of a sacred place like the Palace of the Revolution for us to talk about women as great as Vilma and Celia,» said Yunet López Ricardo, head of the audiovisual group and journalist at the Fidel Castro Centre.

Their stories, she said, can be found in the most unexpected places, and it is very important to bring their energy to «the girls of today, so that they find inspiration in them; it is very important to move people, we must manage to move people to realise that the war was not only a storm of bullets, it was also a storm of feelings.

The girls present at the meeting, who work in the most diverse trenches of society, shared life stories and dreams; they spoke of challenges, commitment and how much the legacy of irreplaceable women like Vilma and Celia has meant in the struggle of their days.

The voices and experiences of an aircraft pilot; of the Head of Maintenance of the «Antonio Guiteras» Thermoelectric Plant; of female educators; of a prosecutor; of a judge; of a pre-university student and two future journalism students doing voluntary female military service… were heard this afternoon at the Palace of the Revolution, each with their own battles to fight, but all united in the purpose of continuing to build the Homeland.

And how much more can be done in the communities, together with the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), to continue to raise the profile of women in society, commented Amalia Díaz Pérez, president of the Federation of University Students (FEU), in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Havana. All the history we have built up, she said, must also help us to see how we are going to use it.

Anyone who sees the young Lisy Delgado López, a graduate in chemical engineering, would not imagine that she is in charge of an organoponic farm in the municipality of Cárdenas. Two years ago she left her job in an office to promote a project that at first had many detractors, precisely because she was a woman, but that today has the recognition of an entire community and magnificent results.

For me, this has been one of the biggest challenges,» confessed the young woman, who wears a pair of heels and rubber boots with the same skill, «because for a moment I doubted that I could do it, and today, as we move forward, new ideas are constantly coming to mind, and it is a path, in which when one begins to advance, one does not know what the limit is, because it is a path that one travels and in which one is always taking steps.

Dr. Carema Sarabia Águila, who graduated a little less than a month ago from the University of Medical Sciences in Havana, also shared her emotions during the afternoon, with the commitment and sensitivity that the noble profession of medicine entails.

The important thing today, she said, is not to do great things, but that everyone, from their own space, builds and contributes to the Revolution. In her words, the lineage and sentiment of so many worthy women who today hold the future of the homeland in their hands, because everyone’s position, she said, «should be to build, to join together, not to sit in a chair and criticise, because that way, really, you don’t solve anything; And I always say that when the history of Cuba is written, I want to be on the bench of those who built, on the bench of those who did, on the bench of those who transformed, on the bench of those who contributed, and not on the bench of those who simply sat down to criticise, without doing anything».

Before the end of the meeting, the Cuban President called on them to continue doing, and thanked them for the stories they had shared, because what you have done, and many others, is also thanks to the work of Celia and Vilma, in whose legacy there is always a constant learning process.

Celia said, the Head of State recalled, that «it is not about being a hero, it is about never stopping fighting». And I believe, he said, that this is «the conviction that we can share here today and weave into our revolutionary sentiment».

You are women with a strength of soul and spirit, with tremendous hearts, and I can simply tell you that Cuban women are wonderful women.