Havana, October 17 (RHC) -– Cuba's prestigious Granma Naval Academy on Thursday was awarded the Antonio Maceo Order, during a military ceremony and political event on occasion of the school's 55th anniversary.

The ceremony was presided over by Cuban President Raúl Castro and attended by high ranking military and government officials. The Academy was also given a diploma signed by the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), Army Gen. Leopoldo Cintra Frias in recognition of the staff's excellence and the center's academic quality.

This prominent university trains the members of the Revolutionary Navy, the Merchant Navy and the Border Guard Troops, and issues and validates degrees endorsed by the International Maritime Organization.

The traditional teaching methods are combined with state of the art technologies, bringing theoretical knowledge closer to real circumstances to be faced by graduates.

At least 15 specialties are taught in the Academy in the command and technical fields at the medium and higher levels. Over the past 55 years, over 7,900 sea women and men have graduated from the Academy.