See Bayamo

VII INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT

DATES: MARCH 26 – 28, 2019
WHERE: BAYAMO, CUBA

See Bayamo

"Bayamo, the Crossroads of Cuban History."

The history of Cuba, the story of Cuba cannot be told without the province of Granma and the city of Bayamo.

Founded in 1513 by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, the city of Bayamo is one of the original seven villas of Cuba. A haven for pirates, Bayamo’s economic engine was fueled for much of the 16th century by the contraband trade. The city is the birthplace of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, who declared independence from Spain in 1868, first to free slaves on the island and was the first president of an independent Cuba. The Cuban National Anthem was written and first performed in Bayamo. The Cuban Flag known as “La Demajagua” first unfurled in Granma.

Today, the city of Bayamo is also known as La Cuidad del Coche (“City of Carriages”). Most of the city’s horse drawn wagons and carriages are built by the oldest carriage makers in the country. Roughly 80% of the city’s transportation runs on either horse or bicycle.