Havana, October 10 (RHC)-- The National Union of Cuban Historians (UNHC) awarded this Sunday the National History Award to Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, during the ceremony for the 153rd anniversary of the beginning of the independence struggles, in the main hall of the University of Havana.

The diploma was received by the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Miguel Díaz-Canel, who thanked the gesture on behalf of the revolutionary leader.

The head of the UNHC, Jorge Luis Aneiros, referring to Raúl Castro's merits that make him worthy of the recognition, highlighted the valuable contribution of the leader, who for more than half a century has been an exceptional protagonist of the events.

He also highlighted his contributions to the study and preservation of the memory of the people of the Caribbean nation, as well as his condition of a passionate scholar of the national historical evolution.

Raúl Castro held the highest positions in the Revolutionary Armed Forces, the Communist Party of Cuba, and the Government functions from which he promoted studies in this area of knowledge.

In this sense, Aneiros mentioned the creation of the Organ for the Development of the work with history in the Armed Forces and the promotion of museums such as the Second Front, which recalls the guerrilla struggles in the Sierra Maestra.

Likewise, he contributed with his testimony through his campaign diary, a necessary account of what happened since the landing of the Granma yacht in December 1956, until the first triumphs of the nascent Rebel Army.

"Raul Castro encouraged the combatants to write their memories of the struggle against Fulgencio Batista and the internationalist campaigns, wrote prologues for several books, and his speeches, articles, and interviews gave rise to various publications," Aneiros noted.