August 12th is International Youth Day

By María Josefina Arce

Today, August 12, is International Youth Day, in which the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution always placed his total confidence.  Fidel Castro made clear his " deep conviction that great tasks can be placed on the shoulders of youth."

And Fidel was not wrong. In recent times, the new generations have fought intense battles on different fronts, with total responsibility and commitment to the country.

Two regrettable and painful events, barely three months apart, have tested the response capacity of those whom National Hero José Martí called the new pines.

Faced with the explosion at the Zaratoga Hotel in Havana and the intense fire in the industrial zone of Matanzas, the youngest members of the firefighters, rescue workers, health personnel and students of Medical Sciences have not hesitated to put their lives at risk to protect their compatriots.

Nor have the media professionals who have been, hour after hour, at the sites of these painful accidents to keep the population informed at all times.

Let us not forget that the students of Medical Sciences were indispensable in the confrontation with COVID 19. Day after day they participated in the investigations in the neighborhoods to detect possible cases, to guarantee their rapid medical attention and to avoid the spread of the virus.

They were present, together with other university students, in the isolation centers set up throughout the country, performing the necessary tasks.

They provided all their support in the communities to the elderly, who are more susceptible to contracting the disease caused by the new coronavirus, due to certain health factors.

They took charge of the various workplaces to ensure that the most vulnerable were safe at home. Thanks to their willingness, essential tasks in the economy and communications were not stopped.

But in addition, a good part of our health personnel, always on the front line, and of the laboratories where tests were analyzed daily to determine the presence or absence of the disease in possible cases, is young.

With their heroism, seriousness, but also with their usual enthusiasm, young Cubans have shown that they can be counted on, even in the most complex and risky situations. They have made it very clear that Fidel Castro was not wrong when he stressed "I believe in you."