European Parliament Hosts a Panel Marking Fidel Castro's Centenary

Brussels, April 22nd, 2026.- The panel discussion “A Hundred Years with Fidel: A Look at History and His Thought in the Face of Cuba’s Current Challenges” took place to a packed house at the European Parliament, as part of the activities organised by the Cuban Embassy in Belgium to mark the centenary of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.

The event brought together MEPs, academics, intellectuals and friends of Cuba for a profound exchange on the relevance of Fidel’s thinking in the contemporary international context.

The panel was moderated by MEPs João Oliveira and Danilo Della Valle, both members of The Left Group in the European Parliament.

Notable panelists included the French professor and historian Salim Lamrani, an expert on relations between Cuba and the United States; Belgian intellectual Katrien Demuynck, Belgium coordinator of the Network of Intellectuals, Artists and Social Movements in Defence of Humanity (REDH); former MEP Manu Pineda, who presented his book “Fidel and the Problems of the Contemporary World”; and Dr Damarys Álvarez Zapata, representative of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Calabria.

During the event, topics such as Fidel’s role in international relations, his legacy in Cuban medical cooperation and the relevance of his ideas in the face of today’s global challenges were discussed. The exchange with the audience highlighted the interest in and relevance of his legacy.

The broad participation of MEPs, representatives of the diplomatic corps, solidarity organisations and the general public reaffirmed the recognition and international influence of Fidel’s ideas.

(Cubaminrex-Embacuba Belgium)