The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, travelled to Cuba on an official visit between 27 and 30 November 2012. As part of her schedule, Ms Bokova visited a selection of cultural institutions, all of which have close working relationships and joint projects with UNESCO, such as the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) and the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión de San Antonio de los Baños, amongst others. Ms Bokova took part in a visit to the Historic Centre of Havana, where she opened an exhibition on underwater cultural heritage and visited the Segundo Cabo Palace, a site which is being restored by the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana with the collaboration of the European Union and UNESCO. Ms Bokova also held a meeting with the Director of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, the world-famous ballerina and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Alicia Alonso.

In October 2012 a presentation was held in relation to the project "Strengthening national capacities for safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Aruba" – a project relying on a generous contribution from the Kingdom of Norway. Before the end of 2012 the first three events of the project took place: the "Workshop and policy seminar in relation to the entry into force of the 2003 Convention in Aruba"; the "Meeting with the rural community of Perico, in the Cuban province of Matanzas", and the workshop "Making inventories in a community context", in Cuba.

The 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention was commemorated in Cuba with a diverse programme of events, in collaboration with UNESCO's Regional Office for Culture. The programme began on 18 April, when the travelling exhibition "Cuba and its World Heritage Sites" was opened in Havana. The 10th Encounter on Management of Historic Centres, which the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana (OHCH) organises every year, formed part of the anniversary celebrations in 2012. Of special significance was the special gala held in honour of the anniversary, organised by the Consejo Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural (National Council for Cultural Heritage: CNPC) and the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. UNESCO's Havana Office also hosted a press conference and, to close the celebrations, a presentation was held for the travelling exhibition on Cuba's nine World Heritage sites at the office of the CNPC, after this exhibition had completed its tour of all the provinces of the nation.

As part of its functions as Regional Office for Culture, the UNESCO Havana Office maintains a cooperative relationship with the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latin America (CRESPIAL) and the Regional Centre for the Promotion of the Book in Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLALC). The Office also represents UNESCO within the Management Board of each organisation, both of which are Category 2 Centres of UNESCO. In this capacity, the Havana Office participated in the 7th meeting of the Management Board of CRESPIAL, and collaborated with that body in the organisation of the 2nd International Seminar on Heritage and Education, held in Valparaíso, Chile. In relation to CERLALC, its Director Mr Fernando Zapata López received a welcome to UNESCO Havana during his visit to Cuba. The Regional Office for Culture also participated in the "CERLALC-Cuban Book Institute training workshop".

During the year the UNESCO Havana Office organised and supported a variety of events with the objective of continuing the promotion of the 2001 Convention and to encourage its ratification, including courses to strengthen capacities for the protection of underwater cultural heritage. The first of these projects for 2012 was the "Training course on surveying and registration techniques for underwater cultural heritage", held in Havana, Cuba. In Ecuador, the coastal city of Manta hosted the "International underwater archaeology seminar: approaches and perspectives". Also, the Jamaican city of Port Royal hosted the UNESCO sub-regional capacity building programme: "Safeguarding the underwater cultural heritage of the Caribbean". The culmination of these activities for the promotion of the safeguarding of the underwater cultural heritage was the opening of the exhibition "Dive into History" in Havana, honoured by the presence of Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO.

The UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean supported many actions during the year with the aim of continuing to deepen and extend the understanding of the 2005 Convention in the region. One of the activities with the greatest reach in the region was the project "Study of the experiences of community film and video in Latin America and the Caribbean: possibilities for development", implemented by the Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (fnCl: New Latin American Cinema Foundation), with the technical assistance of UNESCO Havana. The Regional Office also enabled the creation of a set of audiovisual materials for the promotion of the Convention and the International Fund for Cultural Diversity, with the collaboration of the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión de San Antonio de los Baños, as well as the new video clip of the distinguished vocalist Eme Alfonso "Para Mestizar" ("In order to intermingle"), which relates to the richness of Cuba's cultural diversity. The premiere of these productions is anticipated in 2013. UNESCO Havana also awarded a prize for the creation of an original poster with the objective of promoting the 2005 Convention, supported Cuba's celebration of World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development and encouraged the dissemination of other activities taking place in the region in relation to this theme, such as Argentina's programme "The voice of the voiceless".

Among the activities carried out during 2012 in the framework of this project of the UNESCO Havana office, a highlight was "ABCD: Cameras of Diversity": an interesting and wide-ranging concept launched by UNESCO within the framework of the 2nd Encounter of Filmmakers from Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean and its Diasporas (ABCD), which was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Cameras of Diversity Awards, which are granted every year, this year featured the prizes granted at the 6th Latin American Film Showcase (in Punta Arenas, Chile), at the 10th International Festival of Low Budget Cinema (in Gibara, Cuba) and at the 11th ICAIC Youth Showcase (in Havana, Cuba).

The 2nd Encounter of Filmmakers from Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean and its Diasporas, held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was without doubt the most important activity carried out by the Showcase's Office in 2012, and benefitted from the support of UNESCO's Regional Office for Culture. Among the main agreements reached during the event was the development of the project: "ABCD: Cameras of Diversity." Other actions undertaken were the launch of this project as part of a panel discussion: "Promotion of cultural diversity in the Caribbean: overview of two projects sponsored by UNESCO and UNICEF in the region", which was organised within the framework of Cuba's 21st International Book Fair 2012, and the participation of a representative of the Regional Office at the meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean representatives of the coordinating groups and institutions responsible for the Travelling Caribbean Film Showcase, which was held in Havana.

The UNESCO Offices of Havana and Kingston organised the "UNESCO Regional Seminar to effectively fight illicit trafficking in Cultural Property in the Caribbean," which was held in Castries, Saint Lucia. The workshop concluded with the 25 participants from 13 Caribbean territories undertaking to take concrete steps, both at the legal and operational level, to improve their systems for the fight against the illicit trafficking in cultural property, and to strengthen international cooperation.

Within the framework of this international campaign, as well as its Cuban adaptation "Yo Digo No" (I say No), in 2012 the United Nations System in Cuba awarded the "UNiTE Prize" for the first time, as part of the 34th International Festival of New Latin American Cinema. UNESCO's representative presided over the jury that selected the winning film. Further, UNESCO’s Regional Office for Culture, in its capacity as the office responsible for actions related to raising awareness of this campaign in the community, prepared an audiovisual production, in collaboration with EiCTV. Finally, it organised a meeting with the singer and composer Malena Muyala, who is a spokesperson for the UNiTE Campaign and one of its most active promoters in Uruguay, and supported the coordination of an awareness-raising campaign in relation to the work of this activist.

Culture and Development: Editions 7 and 8 were released in 2012. Edition 7, dedicated to "Culture, an essential element in a sustainable development strategy", summarises some of the experiences of UNESCO in Latin America and the Caribbean from the perspective of the contribution of culture to the integrated development of people and communities. Edition 8, "Museums and Culture", presents the results of the workshop "Turning historic buildings into museums: cultural management, education and development", which was held in Havana, Cuba, in 2011. Edition 9, with the theme "Inclusive knowledge societies", is currently in production and will be released in 2013.
Oralidad: Its most recent edition, number 17, published in November 2011, was dedicated to the celebration of the International Year for People of African Descent, and was launched in the context of the 21st Cuban International Book Fair 2012. The 18th edition, dedicated to the project "Strengthening national capacities for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Aruba", is currently in production.

During 2012 the Regional Office for Culture continued to provide the Technical Secretariat of the Forum of Ministers of Culture and Officials in Charge of Cultural Polices of Latin America and the Caribbean, and also participated in a meeting of the Pro Tempore Secretariat. Subsequently, UNESCO Havana has been supporting the current President of the Forum's permanent body, the Minister for Education and Community Development of Suriname, in the preparation for the next meeting, the 19th Forum of Ministers of Culture and Officials in Charge of Cultural Policies of Latin America and the Caribbean and the First Meeting of Ministers of Culture of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which will be held on 14 and 15 March 2013, in the capital of Suriname. The central theme of this conclave will be "Culture and Sustainable Development".

The Portal of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the most important and longest-running projects that is undertaken on behalf of the Forum of Ministers of Culture and Officials in Charge of Cultural Policies of Latin America and the Caribbean. At the same time the Portal also constitutes the 'Culture' section of the website of UNESCO Havana Office. During 2012 the Portal was the subject of a general redesign, with the aim of giving it a new look, also conforming with the structure and design requirements of UNESCO websites. It has now been updated around 8,200 times, including the addition of more than 60 new pages associated with cultural projects, in English and Spanish, as well as the database of the Portal, which now exceeds 140,000 entries, which have accumulated since 2002 (the year when the first version of the Portal was put online). The website continues to provide up-to-date coverage of the activities of UNESCO in the region in the field of Culture, as well as the Cultural Agenda of Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to facilitate the promotion of best practices, and to contribute to dialogue, exchange and better communicate among the Member States of Latin America and the Caribbean.

One of the most significant activities to take place in 2012 in the framework of the CCBP was the Course for the preparation of nomination dossiers for the World Heritage List, held in Kingston, Jamaica. The CCBP was also one of the projects chosen to exemplify 10 years of support from the Kingdom of the Netherlands for World Heritage in the pages of the publication: From Astronomy to Zanzibar: 10 Years of Dutch Support to World Heritage.

Due to the importance of this project and the progress made during 2012, the site was chosen for a visit by the Director-General of UNESCO during her tour of Old Havana, as part of her official visit to Cuba. The project is a multilateral cooperation initiative between the European Union and UNESCO. Among the actions which took place in 2012 were the second meeting of the Management Committee of the project, the visit of the Director of UNESCO Havana and part of his team to the site undergoing restoration, and the presentation of the project to the Ambassadors and Diplomatic Corps of the Members States of the European Union accredited in Cuba. A discussion panel was also held in relation to this project, in the context of the 10th Regional Encounter on the Management of Historic Centres. The restoration of the Segundo Cabo Palace was also featured as a case study in the 8th Edition of Culture and Development.

In 2012 the UNESCO Regional Office for Culture kept working on the strengthening of capacities for production and the improvement of workplaces in five artisanal workshops in four municipalities of the country, within the framework of the joint programme: "Support for New Decentralization Initiatives and Production Stimulation in Cuba." 76% of the resources previously identified were acquired and given to the direct beneficiaries. The joint programme also contributed to the improvement of artisanal production via a group of capacity-building actions given to artisans and local managers. The "For a better product" programme included, amongst other things, training courses on topics such as the sustainable collection of natural resources available in local areas, improvement of quality and applying designs to the products, the introduction of new techniques of weaving, the use of natural dyes, the diversification of primary materials used and the substitution of imports, as well as more efficient management of the whole cycle of production. In total 176 artisans received the training (of whom 103 were women), as well as 154 local managers (including 52 women).

The SIDACULT Regional Network is the main strategy of UNESCO Havana to stimulate and explore the new cultural, artistic and socials responses in relation to HIV/AIDS. In the context of the 21st International Book Fair in Havana, Cuba 2012, SIDACULT was responsible for the presentation entitled "New publications dedicated to the prevention of HIV and AIDS." Dr Ernest Massiah, UNAIDS Director of the Regional Support Team for the Caribbean, participated in a working meeting at the UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean. There was also a presentation in relation to the project at the 7th regional workshop on health promotion and education in schools and universities, which was held in Havana.

"The Slave Route: resistance, freedom and heritage": The first activity held in 2012 in the framework of this project was the 16th Workshop on Afro-American Social and Cultural Anthropology, an event which is held in Old Havana every year. As part of the 21st International Book Fair of Cuba, 2012, there was a panel discussion on "Promotion of cultural diversity in the Caribbean: an overview of two projects sponsored by UNESCO and UNICEF in the region", one of which was the Slave Route project. Also, in the Dominican Republic, UNESCO took responsibility for the presentation of the project "Places of Memory of the Slave Route in the Latin Caribbean" as part of the programme of the Sub-regional UNESCO World Heritage meeting within the second phase of the periodical report for the Caribbean. Further, on 23 August, the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, was celebrated in Cuba with a cultural gala, within the setting of the celebration of 'Timbalaye': the International Festival of Cuban Rumba. In addition, the Director of the UNESCO Havana Office was the special guest at the meeting for the creation of a regional network of the people of African descent in Latin America and the Caribbean, also held in the Cuban Capital. Finally, the UNESCO Havana Office was represented at the Cuba-Brazil meeting in relation to cultural and community tourism and the African legacy, organised by the Cuban National Committee for "The Slave Route: resistance, freedom and heritage".
The Cacao Route: Mr Hermann van Hooff, Director of the Regional Office for Culture, launched the book "CONFITERIA: De lo Artesanal a la Technología" (Confectionary, from craftsmanship to technology), by Mexican authors Norma E Orozco and María Magdalena Ramírez, within the framework of the project "The Cacao culture in Cuba: Safeguarding and Transmission".
Indigenous peoples: The Regional workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean on the formulation of the UNESCO policy in relation to indigenous peoples was held in Santiago de Chile. Programme Specialist Fernando Brugman, Coordinator of the Culture Team within the Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean, was the representative of UNESCO's Culture Sector at the meeting.

A broad programme of activities was provided in Cuba for the purpose of the International Jazz Day, commencing with a press conference where Herman van Hooff, Director of the UNESCO Havana Office, gave a speech. From 27 to 30 April 2012 all of the usual jazz venues in Havana dedicated their activities to this celebration, which culminated in a special concert at Havana’s Mella Theatre. At this concert, Mr van Hooff, the Director of the Regional Office of Culture, presented commemorative posters to the outstanding exponents of the Cuban jazz movement, as well as Cuba's cultural institutions.

During 2012 two extra-budgetary projects were concluded in Cuba within this context. The first was the improvement of the state of preservation of the World Heritage Sites of Viñales and Camagüey, financed with emergency assistance authorised by the World Heritage Fund. The second was the reopening of cultural institutions, with the support of funds provided by the Kingdom of Norway. Both projects were motivated by UNESCO's interest in supporting the recovery of these sites and institutions after various hurricanes had struck, causing serious damage in six provinces of the island.

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UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean, in Havana, Cuba:
Herman van Hooff, Fernando Brugman, Olga Rufins, Elba Suárez, Junior González, Patrick Doyle.

Contributions to this edition: Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Culture of Latin America (CRESPIAL), Regional Centre for the Promotion of the Book in Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLALC-UNESCO), Foundation of New Latin American Cinema (fnCl), International School of Film and Television (EiCTV) and the Office of the Travelling Caribbean Film Showcase.