Anna Craig speaks at the 60th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution

Year 13 student Anna Craig was honoured to speak at the New Zealand commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution held on Thursday night. The private event was held at The Boatshed in Wellington and was attended by dignitaries from across the country, including former Foreign Affairs Minister Gerry Brownlee and Deputy Prime Minster Winston Peters. Anna was invited to speak at the event by Ambassador Mr Mario Alzugaray following his visit to the college on October 31, where Anna shared about her trip to Cuba. Well done, Anna!

An excerpt from her speech is below:

"Trips such as this can only strengthen the bond between Cuba and New Zealand to benefit the people. Cubans are so intrigued by other cultures and societies as I was about theirs. In a park one day I spent a great amount of time just talking with an older gentleman answering all his questions about New Zealand, we compared differences between our cultures which often had us laughing. To my amusement a lady overheard and asked where NZ was. I tried to explain near Australia and she said “ahhh yes Miami”, sometimes it's easier just to go with it. We can look forward to such interactions and relations developing between our two small nations through trips such as mine which highlights the importance of open communication between societies. 

It took me several weeks to reflect on my trip as I was overwhelmed by what i had seen. I think i will continue to reflect on my trip and key moments for years to come. I know personally it opened my eyes to a much bigger world and how others live. It has created a passion for travel and a drive to helps others for the better of them and their environment. Cuba was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it will be a trip to remember forever with many stand-out moments."

Check out the Embassy of Cuba in NZ Facebook page for more photos of the event.