FUNDACIÓN AMISTAD 2000 ANNUAL REPORT
Table of Contents
President's Letter
Academic Exchanges and Programs:
- The Ludwig Foundation at Southampton College, Long Island
University
- Duke University Summer Study Abroad Program
- Cuban Studies Consortium (CSC)
Environmental Exchanges and Programs:
- Delegation of Environmental Educators
- Children's Environmental Science Conference in Cuba
- Cuban Environmental Educators Summer Environmental Studies
Exchange
- Eco-Classroom Initiative at the Parque Metropolitano de la
Habana
- Lecture and Workshop Series on Environmental Issues in Cuba
- Reserva de la Biosfera del Sierra del Rosario: Capacity
Building Programs
- "Green School" Project with the Fundación Antonio
Nuñez Jiménez de la Naturaleza y el Hombre
Medical Exchanges and Programs:
- "Towards a Happy Adolescent in the Year 2000"
Program Implementation
- Dr. Cristóbal Martínez, Head of Cuba's National Child
Psychiatry Group
- Dr. Calixto Machado of the Instituto de Neurología y
Neurocirugía at Duke University
- Cuban Adolescent Psychiatry International Conference
- "Towards a Happy Adolescent in the Year 2000"
Six-month Program reviewuation
- Dr. Fernando García Yip, Radiologist, Instituto Naciónal de
Oncología y Radiobiología de Cuba
- "Towards a Happy Adolescent in the Year 2000"
Program Expansion
- American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on School Health
Cuba Initiative
Casa de las Americas:
- Library Needs Assessment Study
- Resource Development Training Program
- Librarian Conference and Exchange
- Library Science Workshop Series
- Library Design Competition
Community Outreach and Capacity Building
Programs:
- "Voices of Change: Looking Towards the Future"
Lecture Series
- La Güinera Community Baseball Initiative
Arts and Cultural Exchanges and Programs:
- Hunchback of Notre Dame Production in Havana
- Architecture Book Project
- Havana Art Biennial Trip
- Visiting Artists Exchange Program
Donors
Detailed information for the above projects is available upon
request.
President's Letter
Dear Friends:
As Fundación Amistad enters its fourth year, our work with Cuba
and the United States continues to flourish. Fundación Amistad has
experienced tremendous growth within the past year and will continue
undertake diverse projects all dedicated to fostering understanding
and awareness between Cuba and the United States.
There are many reasons why we as Americans can benefit from
bridging relations between our countries. Eventual trade relations
and medical research, particularly cancer research, are two examples
from which both countries can mutually benefit and learn from each
other.
Fundación Amistad is Spanish for the "Friendship
Foundation", and friendship is one of the most rewarding fruits
of the programs and projects that we have implemented over the last
three and a half years. Within that time, we have seen friendships
between our American participants and their Cuban counterparts,
which were made during some of our original projects, blossom into
productive working relationships. This signals to us that we are on
target with our mission, and in the coming years we hope to see the
same positive growth continue.
The Annual Report for 2000 provides a glimpse at our current work
and upcoming projects. I believe that many of our projects will have
a positive impact on the lives of thousands of Cubans, particularly
children. As these projects are being planned, ongoing efforts are
underway to seek support for foundations and concerned individuals.
At this time, Fundación Amistad would also like to welcome its
new Executive Director, Nicholas Robins, Ph.D. Dr. Robins brings
years of Cuban academic experience to Fundación, as well as a
sincere commitment to realizing our mission and vision.
I would like to thank the many friends, foundations, and other
organizations that have contributed and supported Fundación Amistad.
The need for our work is great, and I hope that we will continue to
receive the support of old friends as well as new.
Luly Duke
President
[ top ]
Academic Exchanges and Programs
One of Fundación Amistad's fundamental goals has been the
dissemination of knowledge about Cuban history, culture and society.
Fundación Amistad's academic projects stem from a belief that the
promotion of interest and scholarship in Cuban Studies fosters
understanding and awareness between the U.S. and Cuba.
Academic exchanges and programs are central to Fundación
Amistad's mission of promoting awareness and knowledge of Cuban
history, culture and society among the American citizenry. With this
aim, Fundación took a leading role in organizing the Duke
University Summer in Cuba Program in 1998, and was pleased to see it
take root as a second group spent six intensive weeks in Cuba in May
2000. Students at Southampton College, Long Island University, also
had an opportunity to learn about Cuba during a visit and lecture of
Mr. Helmo Hernandez of the Ludwig Foundation. Academic exchanges
will be the focus of the recently formed Cuban Studies Consortium as
Fundación continues its commitment to promoting knowledge of Cuba
among Americans.
The Ludwig Foundation at Southampton College, LIU
In November 1999, Fundación Amistad invited Mr. Helmo Hernandez,
President of the Ludwig Foundation of Cuba, to give a lecture to
students and the local community on the status of Cuban art and
artists in Cuba. Mr. Hernandez's lecture included a history of Cuban
art, with a focus on the period of the 1980's and 1990's.
The Ludwig Foundation of Cuba is a Havana based not for profit,
non-governmental organization (NGO) that is dedicated to preserving
and promoting Cuban art and artists within Cuba and abroad. The
Foundation not only promotes traditional visual arts, but also works
with artists in filmmaking and theatre. Since its inception the
foundation has sponsored various series of shows and exhibits.
Duke University Study Abroad in Cuba Program
In May 2000, The Duke University Summer Study Abroad program
returned to Cuba to study at Casa de las Americas in Havana, Cuba.
The group was lead by Professor Orin Starn of the Duke University
Department of Anthropology. At Casa de las Americas, the group
completed Spanish language courses as well as courses in Cuban and
Caribbean history, culture, and literature.
This program was first organized by Fundación Amistad in 1998.
Projects Under Development
Cuban Studies Consortium
One of Fundación Amistad's most exciting new projects is the
Cuban Studies Consortium (CSC). The CSC will strengthen Fundación's
mission of promoting sustainable academic and cultural exchanges,
collaborations and dialogues between Cuba, the United States and
Canada.
By working together, members will be able to significantly
leverage their resources by co-sponsoring events, speakers and
programs, as well as sharing the most up to date information on
Cuban academic and cultural issues. The Consortium will also offer
consultation services to members on individual program development.
The Consortium will foster and coordinate a number of programs
including:
- Speaker's Circuit
- Book Donation Program
- Academic Matchmaking Services
- Short Courses
- Virtual and Physical Art Exhibits
- Musical Performances
- Grant Announcements
- Summer, Semester and Inter-Session Programs
- Listserv
- Academic Databases and Directories
- News Services
Organizations eligible for membership will include accredited
colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, corporations,
and professional and cultural associations in North America and
Cuba. [ top ]
Environmental Exchanges and Programs
An important part of Fundación Amistad's mission is to enhance
environmental programs which have a profound impact on communities
within Cuba, as well as the global community. Fundación hopes to
continue its community-based work in environmental
protection/conservation, as its past projects have proven to
mutually benefit both the natural and human elements within Cuba.
The environment is something that transcends borders and affects
us all. By increasing people's awareness of, and fostering efforts
to preserve, the environment, Fundación has advanced its
educational mission. Last year, this was done by leading a
delegation of environmental educators to Cuba, through youth
exchanges and workshops, and through provisioning eco-classrooms in
Cuba. Future projects include organizing environmental lectures and
workshops and the development of "green schools" in Cuba.
Delegation of Environmental Educators
Fundación Amistad organized a delegation of outstanding
professionals in the field of environmental education, including:
Dr. Norman L. Christensen, Dean and Professor of Duke University's
Nicholas School of the Environment; Ms. Cynthia Thomashow,
Co-Director of the Center for Environmental Education and Professor
at Antioch College; and Dr. Robert James Wallace, Director of The
Harbor Academy for Environmental Studies and the Arts at Boys Harbor
in East Harlem, New York. Our Cuban hosts were Enrique Dalmau and
Dolores Rico of the Cuban Environmental Information Management and
Education Center.
In February 2000, the delegation met with professionals from
government agencies in Cuba that set environmental policies and
toured several facilities, such as Cuba's Metropolitan Park, the
National Zoo, the National Aquarium, the Museum of Natural History,
and the Sierra de Rosario Biosphere Reserve. These organizations
educate the community about the environment and advocate
preservation, conservation, and the study of the land and
atmosphere.
As a result of the delegation's consultations with Cuban
professionals and educators at these institutions, a detailed report
was generated, with several recommendations for improvements and
future collaborations. This exchange was made possible through a
grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.
The "V Jornada Científica Infantil: Los Niños de Hoy por
el Mar del Futuro"
(Children of Today for the Ocean of the Future)
In an exchange developed from the February 2000 Environmental
Educators Delegation's trip to Cuba, a student delegation of
inner-city children from Boys Harbor, Inc., Harbor Academy for
Environmental Studies and the Environment, attended the "V
Jornada Científica Infantil: Los Niños de Hoy por el Mar del Futuro"
in conjunction with the Acuario Nacional de Cuba. The group,
composed of 5th and 6th graders, had been
studying fresh water pond and salt water coastal and bay ecology
through their work at the Harbor Academy in Central Park and at the
Boys Harbor Camp located on Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton, NY.
The students presented their class work and the methodologies they
use at their respective grade levels to children, teachers, and
professionals at the conference.
While in Havana, the student group also gave a workshop at the
Parque Metropolitano for students, teachers, and school
administrators on their studies in Central Park. The goal of this
workshop was to demonstrate to the Cuban educators and children the
Harbor's use of an urban park as a powerful setting and tool for
environmental education. The goal of the exchange was to promote
this type of community project Parque Metropolitano and in other
urban parks throughout Cuba. This exchange was made possible
through a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.
Cuban Environmental Educators Summer Environmental Studies
Exchange
Fundación Amistad invited three Cuban educators and staff
members from the Parque Metropolitano de la Habana and other
institutions, who are either directors or specialists in the
educational programs of their institutions, to visit the United
States to attend the Wildlife Conservation Society's "Habitat
Ecology Workshop for Teachers" at the Bronx Zoo and at the
Boys Harbor Camp Program in East Hampton, NY.
At the Wildlife Conservation Society's week-long workshop, the
Cuban educators explored various methods for teaching
"hands-on" environmental education. The Cuban visitors
were impressed by the choices and independence children are given in
choosing the topics they want to study.
The Boys Harbor Summer Science camp focuses on the marine
ecosystem that surrounds the camp and teaches children to observe,
measure and quantify different properties of the ecosystem, and
emphasizes environmental awareness and values. While at the camp the
educators collected rock samples and educational materials to bring
back to their students in Cuba.
The knowledge that these educators acquired will hopefully impact
the future summer experiences of Cuban children thereafter. The
Cuban educators were also able to meet with other organizations that
emphasize environmental education such as the Bronx Zoo and The
Museum of Natural History in New York City. This exchange was
made possible through a grant from the General Services Foundation.
Eco-Classroom at the Parque Metropolitano de la Habana
Initiative
The Parque Metropolitano (Metropolitan Park) is the most
important project of the three most major public-works projects
being currently undertaken in Havana. The main objectives of the
Park are to: (1) increase environmental awareness, (2) promote
environmental education, (3) create environmental responsibility
within the community, (4) promote the reforestation of indigenous
tree species, (5) and promote sustainable agriculture. The Park
itself crosses four of the municipalities of the City of Havana.
During Fundación's February Delegation's visit to the park, they
observed a small "eco-classroom" lacking many of the
education tools found in standard classrooms. The spartan classroom
contained only informational posters and a single slide projector.
Fundación Amistad is assisting the "eco-classroom"
obtain scientific and educational materials and equipment that will
allow them to undertake a more modern and comprehensive approach to
environmental studies and education for children and the community.
Technological equipment will include computers, printers,
microscopes, a digital camera, and other high-tech accessories.
The ultimate goal of this initiative is to help the
"eco-classroom" become a comprehensive learning center for
environmental education and awareness. Fundación Amistad believes
that this equipment will enable the staff members of the Park to
successfully implement the knowledge and skills they learned during
their visit to the Boys Harbor Summer Camp and Bronx Zoo.
During August 2000, Fundación Amistad was able to begin
obtaining these supplies. This exchange was made possible through
a grant from the General Services Foundation.
Future Projects
Environmental Lecture and Workshop Series in Havana
Fundación Amistad is proposing to address Cuba's environmental
issues by conducting a series of lecture and workshops open to all
students, educators, policymakers, and professionals in the
environmental field. Each lecture will focus on a topic of
environmental significance and will address methodologies and
planning for the future conservation and sustainable use of Cuba's
natural resources.
Within Cuba, there are 11 national nature biosphere preserves,
each one a distinct ecosystem with unique flora and fauna found only
in Cuba. Within the majority of these biosphere preserves are human
settlements. This situation poses a difficult situation for those
who want to preserve biodiversity and yet still offer sustainable
economic develop for the rural people living there, who are often
land-dependent and impoverished. With its rapidly growing tourism
industry, Cuba is struggling to find the balance between its most
important economic sector and its environmental conservation and
preservation needs.
This initiative is poised to have a positive impact on the future
on environmentalism in Cuba. It is significant that this series will
be open to undergraduate and postgraduate students in Cuba, as they
are the future teachers and policymakers. The current university
student body in Cuba is very concerned with the environment and the
development of eco-friendly, socio-economic opportunities for their
country's future and growth.
Topics for this series will include:
- Sustainable Development Policies for Nature Reserves
- Eco-tourism and Conservation in Cuba: Development Alternatives
and Environmental Consequences
- Ecosystem Management and Sustainable Forest Management
- Watershed Management
- International Conservation Biology and Education
The budget for this project is $132,000.
Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Rosario
Fundación Amistad would like to develop capacity building
programs for the various community and educational sustainable
development projects currently in place at the Sierra del Rosario
Biosphere Reserve in Pinar del Río.
Fundación Antonio Nuñez Jiménez de la Naturaleza y el
Hombre ("FANJNH")
Fundación Amistad would like to work with Roberto Pérez of the
FANJNH to implement the development of five "green
schools" over the course of five years. A "green
school" incorporates environmental education into the
curriculum and physical school setting. The goal of this project is
to emphasize to the future generations of Cubans, the importance of
the global environment, as well as the uniqueness of their own
ecosystems. This project would be a joint collaboration between
Fundación Amistad, FANJNH, the Center for Environmental Education,
and Boys Harbor's Harbor Academy for Environmental Studies and the
Arts. [ top ]
Medical Exchanges
Assisting the disadvantaged has long been a focus of Fundación's
efforts in Cuba. Last year, Fundación continued to expand its
efforts in this area through sponsoring a training program for
professionals to work in schools on topics concerned with the mental
health of youth, and through sponsoring visits of health
professionals to the United States to develop exchanges in this
area. Future initiatives include the visit to Cuba by a delegation
from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"Towards a Happy Adolescence in the Year 2000"
Program Implementation
In 1999, the Christopher Reynolds Foundation made a generous
grant to Fundación Amistad in the amount of $25,000 to implement a
new program titled, "Towards a Happy Adolescence in the Year
2000", at the Clínica del Adolescente in Havana, Cuba.
Fundación Amistad has worked with UNICEF to coordinate the project
with the Clínica. Since its inception, the program has been a
success throughout the schools and the communities it services.
The program, which is headed by Drs. Elcida Alvarez and Elsa
Gutierrez, has trained more than 20 professionals to work in schools
on the various issues surrounding child and adolescent mental
health. The grant also allowed the Clínica to purchase much needed
equipment and also implement an after-school program for children.
Fundación Amistad received official recognition from UNICEF for
this project and its commitment to adolescent mental health. As a
result of Fundación's accomplishments in this field, UNICEF now
includes adolescent needs in their program agenda, achievement for
the benefit of children around the world.
Adolescent Mental Health Exchange: Dr. Cristóbal Martínez
As part of Fundación Amistad's long standing commitment to child
and adolescent mental health, Fundación invited Dr. Cristóbal Martínez,
the head of the Cuban National Child Psychiatry Group to conduct a
professional exchange of information between various child and
adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and other
child mental health workers in February 2000.
Dr. Martinez visited The Harbor for Boys and Girls, a
community-based social services agency, and its Mental Health
Services Division, and the Child Study Center at New York University
Medical Center in New York City. Meetings were also held with the
Adolescent Health Center at Mount Sinai Hospital, Bellevue Hospital,
and with Dr. Clarice Kestenbaum of Columbia University a member of
the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr.
Martinez learned, gained from these consultations, an in-depth
understanding of your social services in the U.S.
Dr. Calixto Machado's Visit to Duke University Medical Center
As part on an on-going collaborative effort between Dr. Carmelo
Graffagnino of the Duke University Department of Neurology and Dr.
Calixto Machado of the Cuban Institute of Neurology and
Neuro-surgery, Dr. Machado was invited to be a scientific guest at
the Duke University Medical Center for several weeks during June
2000. Both doctors share a number of common professional interests,
including the intensive care treatment of patients who have suffered
a stroke. During his stay the doctors were able to initiate a
research project utilizing 3 dimensional topographical EEG to map
cerebral ischemia in patients with vasospasm following subarachnoid
hemorrhage.
In May of 1999 Dr. Graffagnino visited Dr. Machado in Cuba to
explore the utility of hypothermia therapy for acute stroke which is
a promising field of research. The two doctors successfully
exchanged valuable information and experience, as well as explored
ways to implement their knowledge of Cuban realities.
Cuban Congress of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Havana,
Cuba
In June 2000, Fundación Amistad sent Dr. Elsa Morse and Dr.
Elissa Zelman to participate as part of the North-American
delegation to the first Cuban Congress fully devoted to child and
adolescent psychiatry. The conference included lectures, workshops
and visits to community-based mental health clinics. Many of the
American lecturers were members of Fundación's January 1999
delegation of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry that visited Cuba. Fundación is pleased to note the
development of such subsequent, independent projects from one of our
past projects.
"Towards a Happy Adolescence" Six-month Program
Evaluation
In addition to attending the "Towards a Happy
Adolescence" Congress, in June, Drs. Elsa Morse and Elissa
Zelman conducted an reviewuation of the Clínica del Adolescente's
program, "Towards a Happy Adolescence in the Year 2000".
Both doctors are staff members of the Boys Harbor's Mental Health
Clinic and familiar with community and school based mental health
programs. They concluded that the program is being well managed and
is a valuable asset to the communities they service. Their findings
were published in a report given to Fundación Amistad and will
serve as a guide to continue to achieve program excellence.
This exchange was made possible by an anonymous donor.
Radiology Exchange: Dr. Fernando García Yip
In July, 2000, Fundación Amistad invited Dr. Fernando de la
Concepción García Yip of the Radiotherapy Department at the
Instituto Nacional de Oncología y Radiobiología de Cuba to attend
the World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering,
known as Chicago 2000, held in Chicago, Illinois from July 23 - July
28, 2000. Dr. García Yip also participated in the pre-Congress
Summer School, "Nuevas Técnicas en Radioterapia" at the
University of Chicago. As a result, Dr. García Yip was able to
learn important up-to-date information in the field of radiology to
share with other Cuban doctors.
This exchange was made possible by John D. Knox.
"Towards a Happy Adolescence" Program Expansion
In July 2000, Fundación Amistad received a grant to further
expand the program into more schools and to help train teachers and
other child mental health workers. To date, over 150 children have
been helped through the transition from childhood to adolescence.
Many more are in line to be helped by this program.
By expanding the program into more schools, the Clínica can
reach even more children and teenagers. The Clínica would like to
expand the program into another five schools over the year and train
another 20 professionals.
Based on the success of this first phase of the program, the Clínica
staff is developing a formal curriculum for the schools of child and
adolescent mental health issues. Dr. Gutierrez is authoring a book
titled, "Adolescence: Life Phase 13 -19". The book
will include topics that both teachers and children have chosen as
being relevant and meaningful to this crucial period of human
development.
This project was made possible by a grant from The Christopher
Reynolds Foundation
Future Projects
American Academy of Pediatricians Cuban Initiative
This project is a collaboration between Fundación Amistad and
the American Academy of Pediatrics ("AAP"), Committee on
Policy for School and Health Issues ("COSH"). Fundación
would like to bring a delegation from COSH to Cuba from November 6 -
13, 2000. The delegation will meet with health officials from the
Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education, educators,
administrators, pediatricians, and family medicine doctors. The
group will visit schools and clinics, such as the Clínica del
Adolescente in Havana, and other Cuban entities.
COSH is composed of six pediatricians and representatives from
Organizations such as the American Medical Association, Center for
Disease Control and Prevention, the National Association of School
Nurses, the American School Health Association, and the American
Association of School Administrators.
Fundación Amistad believes the delegation's emphasis on school
health policy will impact the school health system in Cuba and
directly complement the work of the Clínica del Adolescente, which
has been working with Havana area schools on the subject of mental
health for children and adolescents.
Fundación Amistad is seeking Foundation underwriting for this
project. The budget for this project is $15,000. [ top
]
Casa de las Americas Projects
The Casa de las Americas and Fundación share a long
relationship, one that continues to grow with a focus on building
and sharing an awareness of Cuba internationally. Emerging from the
relationships developed during the Duke in Cuba program, Fundación
and Casa have expanded their collaboration. Last year, Fundación
organized and sponsored a Needs Assessment Study and developed a
Resource Development Training Program, which will be critical in the
preservation and development of Casa's bibliographic holdings. In
addition, Fundación sponsored the visit of two officials of the
Casa library to the US to attend the REFORMA conference and visit
several libraries. Future projects include a series of capacity
building workshops and a competition for the design of a new library
for Casa.
Casa de las Americas Overview
In early January 2000, Fundación Amistad received a one-year
grant from the Ford Foundation to implement the following projects
at Casa de las Americas in Havana, Cuba.
- The "Library Needs Assessment" Study
- Resource Development Training Program
Casa de las Americas was founded in 1959 to serve as a repository
for the works of Cuban and Latin American intellectuals. For many
years, Cuban writers, artists, philosophers, and historians have
contributed to Cuba's social, educational, and cultural development
and/or to the development of other Latin American cultures. Casa
provides a venue for the Cuban and Latin American public to exchange
ideas about different cultures, research cultural issues, and
participate in educational and cultural programs and activities.
Casa currently houses the works of the following intellectuals:
writers Mario Benedetti, Alejo Carpentier, Ezequiel Martínez
Estrada, and Camila Henriquez Urena; playwright Manuel Galich; and
contemporary artists Carlos Cruz Diez, Mariano Rodríguez and
Alfonse Soteno. Several writers who have been associated with Casa
have received the prestigious internationally recognized book prize
"El Premio". Others such as Camilo José Cela have
received the Nobel Prize. Finally, writer Gabriel García Marquez
has been intimately involved in activities at Casa de la Americas
and portions of his work have been preserved there.
Currently, Casa de la Americas comprises the following programs,
serving thousands of constituents:
Visual Arts Program, "Artes Plastiques":
Operates three galleries, one of which houses a permanent collection
donated by Latin American artists. The other galleries feature
contemporary art.
Theater Division: Features some of the best theatrical
material in Latin America. The Theater Division holds at least one
major event each year by a Latin American playwright. Recently, both
Chilean and Colombian works were presented. The Theater Division
also publishes a magazine entitled "Conjunto."
Music Division: Produces a major concert each year. The
Music Division also periodically publishes a magazine entitled "Bulletin."
Library: Contains more than l60,000 volumes of books,
50,000 periodicals and over l5,000 files with information about
creative personalities and their works and the history of Latin
American and Caribbean culture. The library also houses a vast array
of microfiche, microfilm, slides, records, cassettes, videos and
compact discs, maps, photographs, posters, other archival
collections. The archival department also actively contains an
extensive collection of personal letters, manuscripts, and visual
art from many writers and artists that have been associated with
Casa de la Americas since its inception. Internationally, the
library is considered the most complete in its profile of Latin
American and Caribbean information concerning the second half of the
20th century. The Library also has a rare book collection
from the 17th and 18th centuries. Many of the
books are first editions and signed by the authors.
Publishing Division: The Casa book publishing arm
has been sponsored by the government of Colombia in a project titled
ProCultura. Casa serves as a repository for manuscripts from
Latin American and Caribbean writers.
Casa de las Americas Library Needs Assessment Study
January 31 - February7, 2000
The Library at Casa de las Americas is a treasure for Latin
America and the Caribbean, but many of its resources are
inaccessible, under-utilized and in need of conservation at this
time. Casa de las Americas has run out of space in its current
library due to design constraints and has been forced to place many
of its valuable and irreplaceable collections and materials in a
storage warehouse, where these materials are inaccessible. Fundación
Amistad proposed that a Library Needs Assessment Study be
conducted to determine the future needs of the Library.
Fundación Amistad selected Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates
(HHPA), a U.S. architecture, interior design, and planning firm
located in New York and Los Angeles, to conduct the study.
The team from HHPA consisted of Ms. Jean Marie Gath, Senior
Associate, Director of Planning and Programming and Mr. Stephen
Johnson, AIA, MRAIC, Associate Partner, Director of HHPA Library
Group, Project Advisor.
During the assessment, the team gathered information on the
building and the various collections. They also held meetings with
the library staff to determine needs and goals for the future.
Afterwards, HHPA produced a report for both Fundación Amistad
and Casa de las Americas with their recommendations for Casa's space
need and suggestions for next steps. The report also outlined
suggestions for Casa to construct a new library building to better
accommodate their future needs.
The information learned from the assessment is vital for the
future of the library as it will allow Casa de las Americas to make
its diverse resources more readily available to scholars,
researchers, and the public. As a result, Casa has gained direction
and set goals for the future development an modernization of the
library.
Casa de las Americas: Resource Development Training Program
April 10 - 15, 2000
In 1999, Fundación Amistad President Luly Duke and an
exploratory delegation from the Ford Foundation met with the
executive and operational management of Casa de las Americas to
discuss the need and viability of a resource development training
program. As a result, a program was designed to help Casa de las
Americas achieve its most pressing goal, which is to develop and
modernize the library at Casa de las Americas.
The resource development training program was designed to help
teach Casa the means to secure funding not only the future of the
library, but also the future of the organization as a whole through
prudent and effective policies and fundraising.
Fundación implemented a week long comprehensive training program
led by Michael Seltzer,
former Acting Chair of the Nonprofit Management at the New School
University and a team of professional consultants and educators in
the fields of non-profit management, resource development and fund
raising.
The team worked directly with approximately 20 of Casa de las
Americas' staff members. The program consisted of workshops,
seminars, and presentations on the following topics:
- Project Planning, Assessment, and Development
- Resource Development: Sources, Strategies and Planning.
- Resource Development Planning
- Capital Campaign Planning
- Grantsmanship Planning
Librarian Conference and Exchange
In August 2000, Fundación Amistad organized an exchange for two
members of the Library at Casa de las Americas to travel to the
United States and attend a conference on library services and to
meet with important libraries, museums, and universities throughout
the U.S.
The participants of this exchange were Ernesto Sierra Delgado,
Director of the Library at Casa de las Americas and Orlando Oliva
Iglesias, Technical Services director for the Library.
They participated in the REFORMA (National Association to promote
Library Services for the Spanish Speaking Population) Second
National Congress on The Power of Language: Planning for the 21st
Century in Arizona. Mr. Sierra Delgado gave a presentation at
the Congress about the library at Casa de las Americas.
After the Congress, Fundación arranged for visits with museum,
library, and conservation specialists at the Metropolitan Museum of
Art - Paper Conservation Department, the Smithsonian Institution,
the Library of Congress, the Pierpont Morgan Library, the New York
Public Library, the Schomberg Center, the Leo Baeck Institute, the
Hispanic Institute, the Duke University Perkins Library, and the
Library at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
As a result of this exchange, the two librarians were exposed to
new information and techniques that will help the Library at Casa de
las Americas address their urgent needs for conservation and
modernization. This exchange was made possible by a grant from
the Ford Foundation.
Future Projects
Library Science Workshops Series
Based on Fundación Amistad's prior work with the Casa de las
Americas Library, Fundación Amistad is proposing to organize and
hold a series of lectures on various topics pertaining to library
science at Casa de las Americas in Havana, Cuba. The workshops will
be open not only to Casa's library staff but also to other
librarians in the Havana area.
Fundación Amistad has proposed workshops in the following
topics:
- Collection Development
- Library Systems Computer Training
- Preservation and Conservation
- The Nature of Collections
- Storage and Handling
- Disaster Planning
Among the other organizations Fundación Amistad proposes to work
with are the Northeast Document Conservation Center, Duke University
Library, the University of North Carolina Library, REFORMA (The
Society for Promoting Library Services to the Spanish Speaking
Population), and Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates.
The commencement of this lecture series is being planned for
February 2001. Fundación Amistad is seeking Foundation
underwriting for this project.
Library Design Competition For the New Library at Casa de las
Americas
Fundación Amistad together with Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer
Associates is proposing to arrange and coordinate an open, national
competition to enable Cuban architecture students and architects to
design a new building that will hold the new library and other
facilities at Casa de las Americas. The purpose of the competition
is to encourage all students and architects from each of the Cuban
provinces to participate in the rebuilding of Cuba. Casa represents
one small part of Cuba; however, the competition will encourage
participants to become involved in preserving Casa and its
treasures.
Fundación proposes to arrange prizes for the winning design and
the two runners up. The prizes will consist of travel to other
libraries and internships at various prominent national or
international architectural firms.
Fundación Amistad is currently awaiting approval from Office
of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of the Treasury. The
budget for this project is $185,000. [ top
]
Community Outreach & Capacity Building
Programs
In its efforts to promote community outreach, Fundación Amistad
launched two new projects in 2000 aimed at capacity-building in both
the Cuban-American and Cuban communities. Fundación believes that
progressive change can be achieved through positive community
organization and activism.
Increasing American's awareness of Cuba involves giving voice to
those who have until now lacked it. The Voices of Change Program is
a pioneering effort in this regard, a forum for giving voice to
Cuban-Americans who seek more open relations with Cuba and better
relations with the Cuban people. Another community outreach program
is providing baseball equipment for primary schools in La Guinera
community, located outside of Havana.
"Voices of Change: Looking Towards the
Future" Lecture Series
From August 2000 - April 2000 Fundación Amistad will be holding
a discussion series in cities throughout the United States for
Cuban-Americans titled, "Voices of Change: Looking Towards
the Future". The purpose of this series is to give
Cuban-Americans who are interested in promoting more open relations
with Cuba a forum to express their individual perspectives to other
moderate and conservative sectors of their community in a friendly
and professional environment. The long-term goal of this program is
to connect and integrate Cuban-Americans into a comprehensive and
organized network with the purpose of fostering a positive rapport
between the Cuban people and Cuban-Americans.
Fundación Amistad wants to contribute to the empowerment of
politically marginalized Cuban-Americans whose independent views on
relations with Cuba have not been heard in the policy-making
community.
It is important to note that the opinions expressed at the Voices
of Change meetings represent a diversity of beliefs and do not
necessarily reflect the opinions of Fundación Amistad, or any one
organization.
The first Voices of Change meeting took place on August 14th,
2000 in New York City at the River Club. Father José Conrado Rodríguez,
a Catholic priest from the Iglesia Santa Teresita in Santiago de
Cuba was the guest speaker. Father Conrado's talk focused on the
importance of mutual understanding between Cubans of the island and
Cubans in the United States.
La Güinera Community Baseball Initiative
In June 1999, Fundación Amistad sent a delegation to the
community of La Güinera, an indigent community of 24,000 residents
located on the outskirts of Havana. Fundación's delegation studied
the community center's various programs designed to address the
special needs of its young people. At that time, the community
leaders expressed the desire to begin organizing baseball teams as a
healthy recreational activity for its youth, but they noted the lack
of equipment as a serious obstacle. As a result, Fundación Amistad
has been collecting baseball and other sports equipment for La Güinera's
six primary schools and two secondary schools.
In August 2000, Fundación Amistad launched a collection campaign
in the East Hampton community of Long Island, New York. The
enthusiastic response of the local community was reflected in both
volunteers, equipment, and monetary donations.
Fundación Amistad is still accepting new and used
baseball/softball equipment as well as any other sports equipment.
The transportation of the equipment for this project has been made
possible by the generous support of Marazul Charters, Inc.
[ top ]
Arts & Cultural Exchanges and Programs
Cultural outreach has been a priority in Fundación Amistad's
work in 2000. Both Cubans and Americans have been able to work
together for the promotion of artistic statement and appreciation.
While policy may continue to divide the two countries, artistic
statement in music, visual art, and architecture, has served to
unite the two countries.
Culture and the arts not only represent societies, but also build
bridges through education about those societies. Projects in this
area include a production of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, to be held
at the García Lorca Theatre, a translation project of architectural
books, and participation in the 7th Havana Art Biennial. Future
projects include a visiting artists exchange program.
Hunchback of Notre Dame Production
This timeless story is the subject of a new opera, the premier of
which is being developed as a joint American-Cuban artistic event.
Koerner Kronenfeld Partners is the American producers of this work
and the Consejo Nacional de Artes Escenicas is their Cuban
counterpart. Byron Janis, universally regarded as one of the world's
greatest pianists, has composed the music, and Hal Hackady, a
prolific writer for television, film, and Broadway, has written the
lyrics.
An American delegation traveled to Havana for a week in October
1999 to meet with officials and with performers, musicians,
designers, and choreographers from all over the country. Fundación
Amistad President, Luly Duke, traveled with the group as a
consultant for this unique and meaningful exchange between American
and Cuban performing artists. The premiere of this production is
slated to take stage at the García Lorca Theatre. The production
of this event is still in need of underwriting.
Architecture Book Project
Fundación Amistad has become involved in a project to print two
very important architecture books in Spanish for use by Cuban
architects and architecture students. These books will provide
information to architects, students, and other professionals, who
have had few new books to read on architecture, planning, and Cuban
architecture itself in the last decade.
Selección o Destino, by Leon Krier, will serve as the
principal textbook on traditional town planning. The second book, Principios
Para Diseñar Pueblos y Ciudades by Andrés M. Duany of Duany,
Plater-Zyberk and Company, is directly relevant to the traditional
architecture of Cuba. Both authors have donated their rights, and
also paid for the translation and graphics.
The book will be made available for architects, scholars,
students, planners, and other interested persons in Cuba. It is
planned that the book will be sold through UNEAC (Unión Nacional
de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba) at a price of $2 USD per book. The
proposed publication of 4,000 books is planned for early 2001.
Seventh Havana Art Biennial
The 7th Havana Art Biennial has been arranged by the
Wilfredo Lam Art Center in Cuba through UNESCO and will take place
in November 2000. This year's event has been titled, "Closer to
the Other", and over 170 artists, designers, and architects
from more than 40 countries are expected to participate.
Fundación Amistad has invited various professionals and members
of the art community to attend the Biennial and participate in
moderated working sessions, which will be open to individual
participation and round-table discussions. In additional to the
official Biennial events, Fundación Amistad in conjunction with the
Ludwig Foundation has arranged an organized visit for the group to
Cuban galleries, studios, and cultural events throughout Havana.
Future Projects
Visiting Artists Program
Fundación Amistad in conjunction with the Ludwig Foundation
would like to begin a "visiting artist" exchange program
for both Cuban and American artists. The visiting artists will
lecture and participate at a university or arts institution for a
period of several weeks for the purpose of promoting both Cuban and
American art in both countries, as well as an information and
cultural exchange. [ top ]
Donors for the fiscal Year 1999 & 2000
June 1, 1999 to August 2000
Fundación Amistad is very grateful for the support of individual
donors as well as the following foundations and corporations.
Anonymous
The Arca Foundation
Arthur Ross Foundation
The Christopher Reynolds Foundation
Church of St. Paul the Apostle
Joseph F. Cullman 3rd
Kathleen M. Doyle
Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co.
Olga C. Duke
The Ford Foundation
Helena Fraser
General Services Foundation
The Henry Luce Foundation, Inc.
Katz Family Foundation
Mr. Jack D. Knox
The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation
The Daniel M. Neidich and Brooke Garber Neidich Foundation
Joseph Perella
Pfizer, Inc.
Mary Anne Schwalbe
W.P. Carey & Co, Inc.
Staff
Luly Duke, President and Founder
Nicholas A. Robins, Ph.D., Executive Director
Martha Reichert, Executive Assistant
Marcela Salazar, Research Fellow
Board of Directors
Luly Duke, President and Chair
Anthony Drexel Duke, Vice President
Peter Honerkamp, Secretary
Thomas LaGrassa
Nicholas A. Robins, Ph.D.
Hortensia Calvo
Olga Cabrer Duke
James Early
Manuel Gonzalez
Advisory Board
Marlene Hess
Elena Pisa
Raquel Suarez
Silvia Fernandez
Micho Spring
How You Can Help
Additional Information and Individual Contributions
For information about Fundación Amistad or any of our projects
or to inquire about making individual donations, including stock
gifts, please contact Luly Duke, President, at (631) 324.1596 or [email protected].
You can also visit our website at www.fundaciónamistad.org.
Please send your tax-deductible contributions to:
Fundación Amistad, Inc.
Post Office Box 177
East Hampton, NY 11937
Tel: (631) 324.1596 Fax: (631) 324.6345
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