On November 22nd, 2017, an event dedicated to Castro was held in the Belt and Road Ambassador Village. The event was co-organized by China World Peace Foundation and the Embassy of Cuba in Beijing. Li Ruohong, President of China World Peace Foundation, Wang Min, Deputy Director of the CPPCC Foreign Affairs Bureau, ambassadors from the embassies of Cuba, Russia, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela, Dominica, representatives of diplomatic missions, government officials from both China and Cuba, leaders of social groups, experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs attended the activity. The guests enjoyed the documentary film and pictures of Castro before releasing doves.
Li Ruohong, President of China World Peace Foundation, reviewed the generations-old profound friendship between the peoples of China and Cuba and his visit to Cuba. He also introduced the project an interactive cultural atlas along the Silk Road to everyone, and expressed the hope to promote cultural confidence and economic prosperity through the road of culture, social responsibility, and inheritance of traditional culture and development of modern culture. Li welcomed more Latin culture to put down root in Peace Garden, a place also known as international living lounge in Beijing, and jointly build an international cultural corridor.
Miguel Angel Ramirez Ramos, Cuban Ambassador to China, shared his memory of Fidel Castro Ruz with the guests, and said the Cuban people will continue to practice Castro's exhortations: protect human lives; young people and children will enjoy their lives in a just world; ancestors and fathers can share the privilege of life with young people
President Li and Ambassador Ramos jointly unveiled the landscape stone that embodies the commitment to peace. On the stone it is carved the message of peace from Fidel Castro Ruz: It is the sacred responsibility of all humanity to strive for peace, regardless of their religion or country of birth, color, old or young. Jia Chang, one of the most famous painters in China, presented his work, a portrait of Castro, to the Embassy of Cuba as token of friendship between the two countries.
Ambassador Ramos told media that the whole embassy is deeply moved by the huge success achieved. He himself has become a friend of the Ambassador Village, and he will pay visits here regularly as a non-official guest. Other diplomatic envoys also expressed their wish to forge further cooperation with China World Peace Foundation. Next, the Caribbean Union of Nations will carry deeper discussions and exchanges with the Foundation for a comprehensive cooperation in economy, culture and education.
The Belt and Road Ambassador Village, officially instituted in the 4th Peace Garden Peace Festival in the past September, is a public welfare platform for Chinese and foreign diplomatic envoys to communicate and forge friendship. The Village is dedicated to the alleviation of regional conflict, the fight against war and poverty, and the building of world peace. The 178 landscape stones erected in the Peace Garden records the message of peace from government officials, ambassadors to China and leaders of international organizations.
