Reflections on X Meeting of the Presence of Paulo Freire
By Dr. Alexandra Neves, Western New Mexico University
I have always dreamed of visiting Cuba. When I got an email last January about the X Meeting of the Presence of Paulo Freire happening in Cienfuegos, I thought it would be my chance. What better place to attend a conference focused on critical pedagogy and social justice? This is indeed a timely topic, and learning to take the perspectives from so many different Latin countries as well as African countries present was a real treat.
The conference accurately represented what Freire’s philosophy and pedagogy mean; there was art, music, theater, dance, lots of dialogue and scientific presentations. As the presentations happened in the hallways, classrooms, and patios of the Universidad de Cienfuegos, participants were in constant movement, which was certainly refreshing and different from “traditional” conferences. There were artists from different countries getting together and producing art as the conference unfolded. Actors and actresses running through the hallways and engaging participants in their plays. Exhibits that co-created with the audience their final product, right on site! Above all, Cubanos made the conference a success with their friendly and energetic way of welcoming others to their country.
Visits to communities around Cienfuegos were also part of the conference. For an entire day, delegates visited community-based projects and educational centers in the outskirts of Cienfuegos. Our group headed to Palmira, an Afro-Cuban community, where we were greeted by schoolchildren dancing and singing in a beautiful show on the streets of Palmira. We took part in a Yoruba ceremony where the Orixás were introduced to the audience one by one as well as their religious and cultural meanings. As a Brazilian, I could see that the Orixás, as well as the drumming and dancing, were identical to the Brazilian Candomblé. The story told by the dancers and the ones running their performance helped the audience to know how deep the Afro traditions and identity run in Cuba.
We also visited a community art gallery, watched street theater presentations culminating with traditional Cuban food for lunch. Every detail about the visit was planned to provide us with a rich experience of Cuban educational, religious and cultural traditions.
Of course the city of Cienfuegos was surprising and inspiring as the site for the conference. In spite of maintaining a small town feel, it is bigger than I’d imagined. Cienfuegos has a vibrant and energetic downtown with shops and restaurants that cater for tourists and Cubanos. The historic downtown area has the colonial buildings I always imagined seeing in Cuba and a very intriguing history. Added to that there is Cienfuegos Bay, which at sunset is truly amazing. Our guide, Yadira, helped us understand the history of Cienfuegos and its central role in the Cuban revolution. She was very pleasant company throughout our stay in Cienfuegos. She made sure we understood the educational, health, housing and government systems in Cuba which we could not have learned so thoroughly any other way.
My visit to Cuba was life-changing. I knew I would have a good experience but what made it really special was the Cubanos. In spite of the challenges they have related to freedom and access to the outside world, as well as the shortages in products, etc, they created a culture that is truly collective. People look after each other, illiteracy rates are zero, everyone has access to housing and health care. They are the most resilient and creative people you will find. Although I spent just a week there and in the context of this conference, I learned so much and was completely satisfied with the kind of experience that was provided to our group. I can point out negatives but I am choosing not to. I want to keep the image of Cuba as this extraordinary place that I finally got a chance to visit.
Dr. Alexandra Neves is Associate professor of Bilingual and TESOL Education at the University of Western New Mexico. Dr. Neves was a part of the US delegation at the X International Meeting The Presence of Paulo Freire that included representatives from the University of Dayton, University of Missouri and the CUNY Graduate Center. The Presence of Paulo Freire is a unique conference hosted every other year by the Association of Cuban Educators (APC) and the University of Cienfuegos Faculty of Pedagogical Sciences. It is attended by over 200 educators from throughout the Americas and Africa.
