During his visit to Cuba in February 2013, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visited the 22nd Havana’s International Book Fair, where he met with the Cuban schoolchildren who won the “I Draw Russia” and “I Read Russia” competitions and invited them to visit Russia.
The Federal Agency for Press and Mass Media in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Science organised a summer trip to Russia for the six Cuban schoolchildren and an accompanying teacher so that they could take part in the Russian-Cuban festival of reading for children.
On July 17, 2013 the group of Cuban children and accompanying adults arrived in Moscow.
The United Humanitarian Publishers Company (a company in charge of the festival) is responsible for all the group’s needs during their stay in Moscow.
The Cuban schoolchildren aged from 11 to 14 will take part in the festival’s specially designed cultural programme which promotes the development of Russian-Cuban relations. The children will visit the Russian State Children's Library where they will be shown around and registered as readers. The Cuban schoolchildren will learn about Russian culture and literature, meet Russian children and go sightseeing around Moscow.
On July 24, after the festival, the children will head to the Orlyonok All-Russian Children’s Centre with vouchers provided by the Ministry of Education and Science. During their two-week stay in the Children’s Centre they will be able to take part in various creative competitions and Russian and Cuban themed events, where participants will learn about the traditions and customs of the two countries.
The children will receive photo albums with photos taken during their stay in Russia, and special gifts (iPads and cameras).
The Cuban schoolchildren will return to Havana on August 8, 2013.