Santa Fe Sister Cities

PASTORS FOR PEACE – CUBA CARAVAN
Thursday, July 15

Santa Fe Sister Cities announce a Community Event: Cuba Caravan to visit Santa Fe for the first time as part of Pastors for Peace 21st Non-Violent Challenge to US Blockade of Cuba

4:00 pm: Welcome Ceremony at the Santa Fe Plaza.
Music by the Cuban Band, SAVOR.

6:00 pm: Reception at Westminster
Presbyterian Church, 841 West Manhattan Ave.

7:00 pm: Program at Westminster Presbyterian Church
Free and open to the public.
Donations will be gratefully accepted.

Over 100 Pastors for Peace volunteers from the US, Canada and Europe will challenge the US blockade and travel restrictions against Cuba at the US - Mexico border on July 21st. They expect to collect 100 tons of humanitarian aid during a two-week caravan that will converge in McAllen, Texas before traveling on to Cuba without US treasury department licenses. They intend to deliver school buses, construction tools and materials, educational supplies, medicines, and medical supplies gathered in communities throughout the US and Canada. “We must continue to keep the pressure on -- to end the blockade, to normalize relations with Cuba, and to engage in dialogue based in mutual respect, rather than our insisting on undermining Cuba's sovereignty” declared Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., Executive Director and founder of IFCO, a 42-year old ecumenical agency.

The 21st Friendshipment Caravan will traverse 13 separate routes across the country stopping in 45 US states and six Canadian provinces. Along the way the caravan will be hosted in 130 communities who support a new US Cuba policy based on respect and non-aggression, including this first time visit to Santa Fe.

This ecumenical initiative is a project of IFCO, the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization, and has delivered 3,120 tons of urgently needed assistance to the Cuban people.

For more information contact:
Julie Bystrom, Santa Fe Sister Cities Liaison, (505) 955-6707, jmbystrom@santafenm.gov
or Bernard Rubenstein, Cuba Sister Cities Liaison, (505) 989-7237, SantaFeHolguinSisterCities@yahoo.com