San Salvador, March 8 (RHC)-- Cuba and El Salvador have expressed a common interest in expanding and strengthening cooperation, particularly in culture.

Officials from the two countries said a prime example is the creation of versions of the Cuban children’s theater group La Colmenita in the Central American nation.

According to Prensa Latina news agency, the issue was debated during a recent meeting between Salvadoran Culture Minister Silvia Elena Regalado and Cuba's Ambassador Iliana Fonseca.

In statements to Prensa Latina, Minister Regalado thanked Cuba for its support. She added that 16 such children’s theater groups have been created in different communities across El Salvador and expressed hope to create 10 more before the end of 2017.

“We want to bring them all together in a grand national festival at the end of the year,” she said.

Meanwhile, last week Cuban advisors began to impart methodology classes to a group of cultural promoters in the country, responsible for creating new children’s theater companies in the western region, using group dynamic and game-based team work techniques, as well as dance classes.

According to Marta Palacios, a specialist associated with Cuba’s La Colmenita, founded and directed by Carlos 'Tin' Cremata, the aim of every group is to instill values in children through games and theater.

The idea to bring the Cuban experience to El Salvador came from the country’s President Salvador Sánchez Cerén and his spouse Margarita Villalta, both of whom are committed to promoting children’s development through the arts and culture.