Havana, February 11 (RHC)—The President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, attended on Monday evening the opening of the 12th International Congress on Higher Education "Universidad 2020," a prestigious meeting which since 1998 has brought to Havana thousands of participants from all over the world.

Ministers of Education from Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia are on hand for the occasion.

In the opening ceremony held at the Karl Marx Theater, Minister of Higher Education, José Ramón Saborido Loidi, offered the island's vision on the role of higher education in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Under the theme "The University and the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030" and will have in its scientific program devoted to the debate of the goals of the global agenda, approved in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly.

Special attention will be given to Goal 4, "focusing on ensuring inclusive, equitable and quality education, and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all."

In reviewing the history of these conferences, Saborido Loidi commented that "at all stages, it has been a major challenge to mobilize so many colleagues from around the world, but today it is even more challenging."

It is no secret that for 60 years, he added that Cuba had endured an economic, commercial, and financial blockade (...) aimed at surrendering to the Cuban Revolution. The United States government has intensified its hostility with the total activation of the Helms-Burton Act, a political and illegal instrument".

The Minister noted that in this context, the Revolution substantially raised the salaries of all teachers, professors and other workers in the educational system, built new university campuses,  and progress continued to be made in improving the infrastructure in most universities."

Saborido Loidi also spoke about the role of Higher Education in Cuba's development, which is involved in all the strategic sectors contained in the Island's Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030.

He also spoke about the internationalization of Higher Education from the South, which "only makes sense if it goes beyond the framework of an elite, of a minority, and places its benefits within reach of the entire university community."

The inaugural gala of "University 2020" - with more than 1,300 delegates from 45 countries,  was attended by leaders of the Party, the State, the Government, and the political and mass organizations of Cuba.