Artemisa, July 8 (RHC) –- The 44th European Solidarity-with-Cuba Brigade, with activists from 18 nations, was welcomed Monday by members of the Cuban Friendship Institute, ICAP. They will be in Cuba for a two-week stay that includes voluntary work in agriculture and activities that will allow brigade members to have a first-hand look at the island’s reality.

During the welcoming ceremony at the Julio Antonio Mella International Camp, ICAP's first vice president, Elio Gamez, thanked the brigadistas for taking their summer vacation time to get to know Cuba and spread the truth about the Cuban Revolution.

Gamez said that over 2,100 organizations in 158 countries of the world make up the movement that supports the Caribbean island, along with more than 339 committees that back the cause of the Cuban Five, who were given unfair and extremely long prison sentences in the United States after they monitored Florida-based ultra-right organizations that planned terrorist actions against the island.

The activists are scheduled to meet with relatives of the five anti-terrorist Cubans, and hold talks on historic events, as well as take part in sports exchanges and other activities.