Santiago de Cuba to Throw Big Bash in 2005

Santiago de Cuba, considered the island nation’s second capital, will celebrate the 490th anniversary of its foundation with a world-class party, the Cuba Convention Bureau informed this week.

Authorities from more than a dozen American and European cities brotherly bonded with similar burgs in other parts of the globe, are expected to send representatives to Santiago de Cuba for the celebration of the village’s birthday on July 25, 2005. Four hundred and ninety years ago on that date in 1515, the city was named after its holy patron, Santiago Apostle.

The summoning for the official frolicking was passed as an agreement by the Municipal People’s Power Assembly (Mayor’s Office) of Santiago de Cuba and intends to link the birthday party with major cultural, scientific, economic and commercial events.

High on the list of planned activities, there’s the EXPOCARIBE Business Meeting –penciled in as the second-largest tradeshow in the region- the Caribbean Festival (a huge festivity for both Latin American and African peoples) and the world-known Santiago Carnival.

Another event in the offing is the Meeting of Mayors and Businesspeople, a gathering that’s supposed to strengthen ties of friendship, solidarity and integration in the region.

The Mayors of Cuba’s first-ever seven villages founded by Spanish conquistador Diego Velazquez back in the 16th century are expected to attend the ceremonies.

The city of Santiago de Cuba has been either the place of birth or residence of some outstanding personalities of the island nation’s social life, such as Jose Maria Heredia –the first romantic poet of the Americas, and General Antonio Maceo, one of the greatest Cuban freedom fighters and military strategists of all time.