RESOLUTION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN DELEGATION

            To the 15th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists

            University of Havana, June 23-27, 2003

            Our delegation included 60 educators, students and community activists from North America and at least four other international locations.  We came to learn more about the progress of Cuba’s struggles to determine its own social and political development.  We were in Havana for more than two weeks and participated in critical dialogue with our Cuban colleagues and peers.  We also attended and reviewed lectures and workshops concerning Cuba’s distinctive cultural, historical, political, social and economic development.  From these experiences, we choose to offer the following Resolution:

            Whereas: Humanity has always dreamt of a better world, one marked by equality, solidarity, and the ability of all people to survive and develop their human potential; and

            Whereas: The recent series of interventionist wars undertaken by the U.S. government seems to be only the beginning of a longer process whose goal is world domination imposed through armed force; and

            Whereas: The immense protests against the war and in favor of peace demonstrated that the people of the world, including significant sectors of the North American people, reject this proposition as a goal of foreign policy; and

            Whereas: The present U.S. administration is militarizing the world and is initiating what it cynically calls “preventative wars”; and

            Whereas: The Bush administration does not hesitate to violate international rights and generalize the inhumane practices inaugurated at Guantanamo; and

            Whereas: This same administration further does not hesitate to reduce the civil liberties of its own citizens and to destroy the democratic tradition of its own people; and

            Whereas: The administration does not hesitate to adopt attitudes and actions with hegemonic and racist characteristics; and

            Whereas: Cuba is at the doorway of the empire and fears, not without reason, that it can be one of the next targets, given that there are many signs that support this fear: the growing media offensive, the accusations of terrorism, diverse types of provocations, an increase in the extent of the blockade, the financial support of opposition and of subversion, and the announcement of future attacks on the country by government spokespersons;

            Whereas: Many of our group call upon those who have recently criticized the verdicts rendered by Cuba’s system of justice to more fully consider the context of those verdicts and the consequences of their public criticism.

            Therefore, be it resolved that:

            1.            We, the participants of the 15th annual Cuban and North American Philosophers´ and Social Scientists´ Conference, deplore the imminent threat of war against Cuba posed by the U.S. government.

            2.            We call upon U.S. citizens to become aware of Cuba’s grave situation and to take necessary steps to discourage and resist U.S. intervention.

            3.            We call upon the United Nations and its various agencies and commissions to assure that the United States abides by all UN resolutions, especially those calling for lifting the blockade against Cuba, rather than threatening invasion.  Cuba deserves the right to pursue its social system, uninhibited by U.S. interference.

            4.            We call for justice for the five Cubans incarcerated in U.S. prisons after an unfair trial.  Their efforts to combat terrorism against Cuba originating from U.S. soil are worthy of our gratitude, not of the harsh sentences they received.

            5.            In light of the grave dangers presented by U.S. belligerence and antagonism against Cuba, we call upon all members of our delegation and urge the citizens of the world to continue to defend Cuba´s right to sovereignty.