Program of the International Cuba Conference
Freedom of Opinion and of the Press for all Cubans - Perspectives for a Democratic Change in Cuba
Conference of the International Society for Human Rights (IGFM) - May 5-6, 2006
Kommunikationscenter KTC, Ölmühlweg 65, 61462 Königstein/Taunus, Germany, near Frankfurt am Main
Held under the Auspices of Professor Hans-Gert Pöttering, MEP, Head of the EVP-ED Group in the European Parliament
Friday, May 5, 2006
11:30 - 13:00
Registration for the Participation in the Conference at the KTC Reception;
Lunch with members of the ISHR Board in the KTC Restaurant
13:00 - 13:15 Opening and Greetings
Martin Lessenthin, Spokesman of the ISHR Board
13:15 - 13:45
What does it mean to be informed or to inform people in Cuba?
Opening Speech: Frank Calzon, Center for a Free Cuba, Washington D.C., USA
13:45 - 14:15
Free Media Information for People Under Dictatorship - Office of Cuba Broadcasting
Pedro V. Roig, Director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Miami, USA
14:15 - 14:45
Suppression of Freedom of Opinion is a Sign of Dictatorship
Holger Haibach, MP, Speaker of the Christian Democrats in the Parliament Human Rights Commission of the Deutscher Bundestag, Germany
14: 45 - 15:05
The way of a Cuban author into prison and exile
Manuel Vázquez Portal, Cuban author, poet, journalist and former political prisoner
15:05 - 15:25
Freedom of Press and Freedom of Information for all Cubans
Sylvia Iriondo, M.A.R., Miami, USA
15:25 - 15:45
Working for Human Rights and Democracy in Cuba
Annette Schwarzbauer, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Team Latin America, Germany
15:45 - 16:15
The German View on Independent Writers and Journalists in Cuba
Erika Steinbach, MP, Human Rights Spokesperson of the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), Germany
16:15 - 16:45
Indipendent Libraries in Cuba
Ramon Colas, Founder of the Movement for Indipendent Libraries, Jackson, USA
16:45 - 18:00
1st Panel - Transformation Through Freedom of Opinion and Press
Moderator: Wilhelm Hölkemeier, Political Editor, Südwestpresse (Southwestpress), Ulm, Germany
Speakers:
Katharina Grieb, ISHR, Vienna, Austria
Pedro V. Roig, Director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Miami, USA
Bernd Mueller, Editor-in-Chief, Neue Bildpost, Germany
Peter Marianek, ISHR Slovakia, Bratislava
Alexis Gainza Solezal, Editor-in-Chief of "Misceláneas de Cuba", Stockholm, Sweden
Matthias Nückel, Editor-in-Chief, Neue Bildpost, Germany
Klaus Kelle, Correspondent, Bild Zeitung, Düsseldorf, Germany
18:00 - 19:00 Dinner
19:00 - 20:30
2nd Panel - NGOs and Politicians: International Co-operation for a Democratic Change in Cuba
Moderator: Katrin Wittig, ISHR, Germany
Speakers:
Chris Robinson, Vice-Coordinator Cuba Transition, Department of State, USA
Dr.h.c. César L. Alarcón, President MCUD International, Baltimore, USA
Elena Steiger, Human Rights First, member of the Human Rights Defenders Program - Team Cuba, New York, USA
Liduine Zumpolle, Cuba Futuro, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Balazs Aron Kovacs, Freedom House, Budapest / New York, Hungary/USA
Dr. Angel E. Garrido, Vice-president, Fundacion Lawton de Derechos Humanos, Cuba
Milan Nic, Pontis Foundation, Bratislava, Slovakia
Jadranka Ciegel, ISHR, Zagreb, Croatia
Igor Blazevic, People in Need, Prague, Czech Republic
Jochen Langer, ISHR, Germany
Saturday, May 6, 2006
08:00 - 09:30 Breakfast in the KTC Restaurant
09:30 - 10:30
The European Policy for Freedom of Press and Human Rights in Cuba
Michael Gahler, MEP, EVP-ED Group ,Human Rights Commission EP
11:00 - 12:30 Handing over the ISHR Media Award for Human Rights 2005
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 15:30 Witnesses' Reports
- Huber Matos, Former Political Prisoner and Ex-Comandante of the Cuban Revolution
- Yolanda Huerga Cedeńo, one of the Founders of the "Ladies in White"
- Angel de Fana, Former Political Prisoner, President Plantados
- Blanca Gonzalez, Mother of the independent Journalist and Cuban political prisoner Normando Hernandez Gonzalez
15.30 - 18:00 Workshops / Open to Journalists and Human Rights activists
1st - What can the European Media do for a Civil Society in Cuba?
Introduction:
Carmen Maria Rodriguez, New York Correspondent, Radio Martí
Alexis Gainza Solenzal, Editor-in-Chief of "Misceláneas de Cuba", Stockholm, Sweden
Christine Frey, ISHR Cuba Working Group
2nd - Possible Transition Programs for Cuba and their Effect of Human Rights
Introduction:
Dr. h.c. César L. Alarcón, President MCUD International, Baltimore, USA
Huber Matos, Former Political Prisoner and Ex-Comandante of the Cuban Revolution
Edgar Lamm, Member of the ISHR Board
3rd - Medical Apartheid in Cuba
Introduction:
Mrs. Laida Carro, President of the Coalition of the Cuban-American Women, Miami, USA
Dr. med. Jose Carro, Cuban-American Pediator, Miami, USA
Dr. med Reinhard Gnauck, Former President of the International Council of the ISHR
Léonie J. Wagner, ISHR Cuba Working Group
18:00 - 19:00
Workshop Reports
Reporters: Maria Elena Morejon, Birgit Schlicke, Manuel Paulus - ISHR Cuba Working Group
Final Remarks by Martin Lessenthin, Spokesman of the ISHR Board and Chaiman of the International Cuba Working Group of the ISHR
19:00 - 19:30 Dinner
19:30 - 21:30 Concert for Human Rights
21:30 - 00:30 Human Rights Film Night
