DPA. 28 May 2001. Fidel Castro says ignorance is world tragedy.
HAVANA ― Cuban President Fidel Castro said the millions of people who cannot read or write in the world today constitute its principal tragedy, state radio Radio Rebelde said Monday.
In a speech given at the closing ceremony of a scientific and technical congress Sunday night, Castro said, "The need that every citizen have a minimum knowledge of history, philosophy and political and economic issues of the world today calls for men and women with an ever-increasing level of education."
Castro said better education is needed for people to ferret out "tricks, lies and the mechanisms of deceit" by international capitalist organizations, such as the World Bank and World Trade Organization.
He added that Cubans needed to progress further in learning English and about computers because both are essential and will be necessary to communicate with U.S. citizens.
However, he added that Cuba has learned to live without economic and trade relations with the United States.
"We are the only ones in the world who have learned to resist the power of the United States, its physical strength, threats of war, even a nuclear crisis, and a 40-year embargo did not stop us from moving forward and producing thousands of doctors able to provide help to other nations," he said.
Despite the downfall of the Soviet Bloc, Castro insisted that the Cuban revolution is stronger than ever and Cubans continue to support it and are more united than ever.