Cross-Cultural understanding between Cuba and the United States
GirasolStudy Abroad is a non-profit, research and education center dedicated to the promotion of cross-cultural understanding, broad-access education, respect, and collaboration amongst peoples in the United States, Canada, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
Girasol Study Abroad is a dynamic project for study abroad funded in San Francisco by the non-profit International Outreach Educational Center (IOEC) in the year 2000. IOEC is a non-profit corporation registered in State of Florida number N11000002410
It is exciting that as we are welcoming in the New Year we are also able to celebrate the upcoming changes in U.S. travel policy to Cuba. During my recent visit to various universities and educational centers across the country, we often discussed the possibility of change. At that time, the Cuban government had released a report on the U.S. blockade against Cuba acknowledging once again that President Obama could not end the embargo without the support of Congress. However, the report suggested 19 steps that President Obama could take to loosen the regulations and begin a process to normalize relations. One of the suggestions was to permit more religious, academic and cultural groups to travel to Cuba.
On January 14, the Office of the Press Secretary of the White House announced new and expanded U.S. travel regulations to Cuba. In fact, President Obama has directed “that changes be made to regulations and policies governing (1) purposeful travel (i.e. Educational, academic and religious travel); (2) non-family remittances; and (3) U.S. airports supporting licensed charter flights to and from Cuba”. These changes ease the previous travel restrictions and according to the press release the new regulations will take effect upon their publication; within two weeks.
Last Monday, January 18, the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Cuba welcomed the statement as “positive measures” and acknowledged that the adoption of these measures is “the result of the efforts of ample sectors of the U.S. society over the years” to try and end the blockade against Cuba and lift the travel prohibitions. Cuba, through this statement, confirms that the country “has always favored exchanges with the U.S. people, their universities, and their academic, scientific and religious institutions”. Cuba once again invited the U.S. government to end the blockade and “lift the prohibition that makes Cuba the only country to which U.S. citizens cannot freely travel”.
While we here at Girasol maintain the belief that as a matter of justice and respect all travel restrictions on U.S. citizens should be lifted and the embargo against Cuba must end, we applaud this announcement as a very positive step toward normalizing relations between the countries. We are elated that more U.S. citizens will be able to travel to Cuba and we look forward to returning in force to our work in educational exchange that was so severely restricted during the Bush administration.
We expect to take an active role in facilitating educational exchanges as the new regulations allow. According to the press release, accredited institutions of higher education may be able to sponsor travel to Cuba for course work for academic credit under a general license; undergrad students may be able to attend short programs; and non-profit organizations like Girasol will once again be able to apply to the Treasury Department for a license to arrange "people to people" travel to Cuba.
We are currently working with various Cuban institutions to offer a number of educational programs, from Spanish Language courses to environmental, cultural, and educational programs, seminars and conferences.
Since 2000, through International Outreach Educational Center (IOEC), Girasol has successfully organized numerous outstanding educational programs. We invite you to explore program options with us. Please contact us as soon as possible to reserve your travel dates and begin the process of arranging an extraordinary educational experience.
Sincerely,
Rodrigo González
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Cuba Program Coordinator
Juan Concha
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