Field Study Report: Cuba 061804 (Part 1)
		Between June 18 and 28, 2004, I had a chance to visit Havana, Cuba as one of four dozen delegates who participated in an annual meeting of the Association of Cuban and American Philosophers and Social Scientists. Visiting Cuba has been one of my utmost wishes, and this was an extremely valuable moment for me in terms of accomplishing this long-held dream. What I present here is a very small chunk of this commemorative experience.
		A shot from the window of a motel I stayed in Havana. It was a blend of colonial and post-revolutionary colors.			At the meeting of Cuban and American Association of Philosophers and Social Scientists, many important issues regarding politics, economy, culture, and education were discussed. All panels and individual presentations were attended with high levels of motivation. It was like Margaret Mead's good old saying come true - that a small group of thoughtful individuals could change the world, and indeed it is the only thing that has! My presentation focused on current ecological problems in Okinawa, and I tried to demonstrate how indigenous knowledge can contribute to sustainable development. I wanted to find out what take Cuban delegates had on the issue of sustained economy.
		A shot with two of my colleagues who attended the meeting. At the back is a friendly but disciplined image of Camilo Cienfuegos, a hero of Cuban revolution who fought against Batistas alongside Fidel, Che y los pueblos Cubanos.
					It was Monday the 21st when I had an invaluable opportunity to participate in an anti-imperialist rally that el Comandante en jefe, Fidel Castro, called upon the people. At 3:00AM in the morning, some of my colleagues and myself joined a youth group at the Universidad de Habana to march down the streets of Havana and take positions in Plaza Anti-Imperialista de Jose Marti. Tension filled the air as we got to the site, where we waited for the ceremony to begin at 8:00AM.
		We all had to wear red shirts, which functioned as our uniform for the rally. We sang and shouted as we marched down the hilly road of Havana City.
					A shot with Compan~eras Damarys and Iris at the rally. They were nice and friendly Cuban assistants to our conference, who also guided us to the rally. They represented the upright spirit of the next generation of Cuba Libre!
		The moment we all were waiting for had finally arrived!: after several declarative prefaces by young representatives of the Cuban socialist movement, Fidel appeared on front stage to make his statement against President Bush and the dispotic administration of the U.S. Tens of thousands of people who gathered at the rally stood up and waved Cuban flags, shouting "Viva!," "Venceremos!," "Adelante!" and so on. Flags we all waved were made of paper and they were distributed for us at the outset of the rally.
					Fidel demonstrated his unbeaten spirit to lead Cuba Libre against neoliberal dominations of the global order. His voice got thin and weak in places, and I was concerned about his health. At the meantime, I really felt the value of the voice that came down upon us all - the VOICE of the last-surviving leader of the socialist revolution. I listened to each of his words carefully, seeking to find any inspiration I could that may have positive influences on my future and the future of the world with which I am engaged.

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