The Provincial Directorate of Culture Centers (CPCC) in Las Tunas awarded the Memoria Viva Award (Living Memory) to three prominent cultural expression cultivators in their communities: Carmen Ramírez Álvarez, coordinator of the Raíces de San José Community Project (Las Tunas); Miguel Linch Foy, founder of the group Los Dandys del 50 (“Jesús Menéndez”), and Eddy Miranda Vega, founder and director of the Raíces Soneras group (Majibacoa).

Las Tunas, Cuba.- 26Digital talked to one of the winners of the laurel: the cultural promoter Carmen Ramírez Álvarez.

“This award is a challenge and a commitment to continue working for the good of Culture and our society. My interest in traditions, especially the peasant one, comes from my roots. "La Familia de Antonio guateque" was the starting point of the current work, which through dance, music, theater and plastic arts has allowed reaching people of various ages and achieve a strong movement of amateur artists. It's something very nice, and our project is going on for 14 years this January 23, we are proud of it,” she said.

She proudly said that her reason for being is culture. “We have the musical group Son del Alba and the Nueva Raíces music and dancing ensemble; the Vida Project (Life), which involves elder adults; around 20 creative women and the Ismaelillo club, which instills in boys and girls the values defended by josé Martí.

“We have achieved results in competitions called by the Cieric-Uneac Office, the Center for Exchange and Reference on Community Initiatives and the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. And we are part of the evaluation for the categorization of the University of Las Tunas, as a scientific community, for the work links that the project has with the major of Cultural Process Management and the Department for University and Art Extension.”

In 38 years linked to community work, Carmen has found a great truth: “We cannot let our traditions die because we would lose our identity. We must work with new generations to promote those issues that characterize us as Cubans; that is our battle.”