The first International Congress of Cultural Heritage opens its doors today in Havana to pay tribute to the centenary of the birth of the Cuban sculptor and ceramic artist Marta Arjona.
 
The contest will take place from May 3 to 5 and its scientific program includes the opening at 9:00 local time of an audiovisual projection in tribute to the artist.
 
The words of welcome will be given by the academic Sonia Virgen Mojena, president of the National Heritage Council of Cuba, who will speak about the life and work of the renowned sculptor, who graduated in 1945 from the National School of Fine Arts at the San Alejandro Academy.
 
The day's program includes, among the most important activities, two master conferences: World Heritage Challenges and the future of the Convention, with a speech by Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the World Heritage Center; and The heritage legacy of José Martí, by Eduardo Torres Cueva, director of the Center for Martian Studies, National Award for Social Sciences and National Award for History from the Union of Journalists of Cuba.
 
Activities related to patrimonial aspects of Venezuela, on the sound heritage of Mexico, the teaching of Punto Cubano, the peasant musical tradition in Chile and the history of the parrandas of the Remedios municipality, in central Cuba, are part of the first day of the contest.
 
To conclude, the participants will take a tour of the Historic Center of Havana, place floral offerings in the patio of the San Francisco de Asís convent and inaugurate an exhibition of various workshop schools of the area.