Leonardo Padura presents book ‘The Faces of Salsa’, reprinted by UNESCO in Havana

UNESCO Regional Office in Havana hosted the presentation of the book The Faces of Salsa, by the renowned Cuban writer Leonardo Padura

The book has been distributed for academic purposes among Caribbean young people, in the framework of the programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity.

On 15 February 2024, the UNESCO Regional Office in Havana hosted the presentation of the book The Faces of Salsa, by the renowned Cuban writer Leonardo Padura. Through interviews with key figures, the author narrates the history of salsa and highlights its significance in the evolution of Caribbean music.

Originally published in Cuba in 1997, the text has been reprinted by UNESCO and the European Union for academic purposes, in the framework of the programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity. This cooperation initiative aims at strengthening the cultural bonds in the Caribbean and between the Caribbean and Europe, as well as promoting the professionalisation of young artists from the region and creating opportunities for their development. The reissue of this book is aimed at disseminating among Caribbean young people the knowledge of salsa, a cultural expression that is an essential element of the region's identity.

The book's presentation was led by the author, accompanied by Issac Delgado, a famous Cuban salsero. The artists emphasized salsa's heritage values and its influence on other musical styles worldwide.

The event also offered the opportunity to make a symbolic handover of a signed copy of the book to the Rector of the University of the Arts of Cuba, Rolando Valentín Ortega Álvarez. It was at this university that the first group of copies of the text was distributed as educational material, during the music courses delivered to Caribbean students of the Caribbean Cultural Training Hub in October 2023.

As a closing, the musician Issac Delgado gave a concert for the audience, which included representatives of the Delegation of the European Union to Cuba and the diplomatic community based in Havana, as well as representatives of the institutions of the Caribbean Cultural Training Hub and students. The book will be also presented by the author on 19 February at the European Union stand of the 32nd Havana International Book Fair.