ISLAMABAD: A press meet to inaugurate the upcoming Cuban Festival was held on Thursday, and featured musicians, dancers, Cuban cuisine and even a cigar roller – all of whom will be at the festival itself.

The meet was hosted by the Marriott Hotel at its Terrace Cafe to inaugurate Fiesta Cubana, a two day event that begins on Friday, which aims to bring Havana to the people of Islamabad.

Cuban Ambassador Gabriel Tiel Capote said at the meet that for the first time in several years, a Cuban cultural delegation is visiting Pakistan. He said their presence represented the will of both countries to strengthen bilateral relations, adding that the Fiesta also commemorates the Cuban Independence Day, which falls on Oct 10.

Geober Guibert Pardo, an officer from the Cuban Ministry of Culture who accompanied the delegation, thanked the various stakeholders involved in the visit.

The delegation will visit Lahore and Karachi before returning to Islamabad, where some members may perform at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts.

The Quineto Tipico Oriental, a popular Cuban musical group – featuring Manuel Antonio Soto Lescaille, Pedro Torres Barrios, Eliseo Lino Pino Morales, José Luis Rabi Soto and Gerardo Mayeta Granda – performed a short selection of music they will perform at the festival.

The audience was also delighted when two dancers, Ivonne Herrera Manresa and Reinaldo Jesús Baró Ruiz, joined the band.

Niovis Oramas Echevarría, an expert cigar roller, is also a member of the delegation. As she sat at a table slicing large leaves into smaller strips with a chaveta, a curved blade used to make cigars, and rolling the leaves, she said: “I have been making cigars for over 25 years. Cuban cigars are the soul of Cuba, bringing happiness and joy to the people of Cuba. Smoking cigars is like falling in love.”

Another member of the delegation was Chef Gioelkis Sosa Hernández, who said he has been working as a chef for nine years and has won many awards and national championships.

“I want to show the people here the typical flavours of Cuban cuisine using natural and fresh ingredients. I want to show the people of Pakistan the real essence of Cuba,” he said.

Although the menu at the poolside Fiesta will be more extensive, Mr Hernández on Thursday served the classic Ropa Vieja – flank steak seared and braised and shredded into rope-like pieces of meat.

The ambassador explained that Ropa Vieja means old clothes. The dessert table also featured Cuban classics, including churros served with a chocolate dipping sauce.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2017