Report back from
Community Technology Delegation- April Trip to Cuba
Peter Miller and Charlie Welch will be giving a report back at Mel King’s South End Technology Center.
Monday, May 16, 7 PM 359 Columbus Ave. Boston
(one block out of town from Dartmouth St. and two blocks from Back Bay T Station.)
We are sorry for the short notice on this event. We will have other presentations soon with more advanced notice. This event is being done to accommodate a special guest who will be leaving town shortly after it’s over.
The site of this talk bears special significance. Mel King has had a long history with Cuba. One of the goals of this trip was to start to forge relationships between technology centers here and in Cuba. The embargo and many other restrictions are still in place. That said it is getting much easier for people to travel and make the contacts that will lead to solid ongoing relationships once we fully normalize relations. This trip was a start on this process as well as an extensive review of Cuba’s accomplishments and problems going forward.
Peter has a report about the trip on his blog at
https://peterbmiller.wordpress.com/cuba-project/april-2016-delegation-report/
Some of the details of the trip
AltruVistas.com and the Community Technology Network of the Bay Area (ctnbayarea.org) have announced a collaborative Community Technology journey to Cuba for April 9-17. Designed as both a general introduction to the country as well as focused on technology policies and practices especially pertinent to community development, there’s basic info at http://altruvistas.com/ctn along with a link to a detailed itinerary.
AltruVistas.com’s founder and CEO, Malia Everette, previously oversaw Global Exchange’s Reality Tour program for 15 years. The program here includes meetings and briefings with:
· the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Economy and Planning, and the Ministry of Technology and the Environment;
· Raúl Rodríguez, one of the organizers with the Joven Clubs/Youth Technology Centers;
· INFOMED, the open source national health information network of Cuba and an international consultant in information projects and social initiatives;
· Dr. Yudivian Almeida Cruz, Professor in the School of Mathematics and Computation at the University of Havana who researches web-based information distribution systems;
· ICAP, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples that coordinates Cuba’s NGO-nonprofit programs and relations
with solidarity groups in other countries.
The enjoyable and informative trip looks to be a ground-floor opportunity for those of us interested in community technology.
