A special sesion will include a performance of Don Quixote, one of the company’s emblematic works.

On Sunday, the National Ballet of Cuba announced a special season to celebrate its 78th anniversary, the 81st anniversary of the United Nations (UN), and the 50th anniversary of the island’s Ministry of Culture.

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The first gala will take place on October 20 at the National Theater of Havana to honor the Ministry of Culture, coinciding with the celebrations of National Culture Day.

The program will include a performance of Don Quixote, one of the company’s emblematic works. Contemporary Dance of Cuba and the National Folkloric Ensemble will also participate, presenting renowned pieces from their repertoires.

The performances on October 24 and 25 will be dedicated to the UN anniversary. For this occasion, the National Ballet of Cuba will present Giselle in the stage version by the legendary ballerina Alicia Alonso.

🇨🇺 Through blackouts and shortages largely spurred on by the U.S. oil blockade, Cubans are still working hard to preserve the arts.

Cubans in ballet and acting display extreme dedication as they "live day to day" through hardships to persevere against U.S. sanctions. pic.twitter.com/jBvKYUMIWH

— Cuban Americans For Cuba (@Cubans4Cuba) October 14, 2026

The season will close on October 28th, commemorating the anniversary of the first performance given in 1948 by the then-Alicia Alonso Ballet, the precursor to the current national company.

During this final performance, “The Magic of Dance,” an anthology featuring highlights of 19th-century ballet in versions conceived by Alicia Alonso, will be presented, along with the epilogue to Gottschalk’s Symphony.

The institution explained that these performances aim to compensate for the cancellation of the Alicia Alonso International Ballet Festival of Havana, which cannot be held this year due to the country’s economic difficulties.

#Cuba | Cuba is reforming its state-owned enterprises to expand financial autonomy, boost domestic production, and strengthen cooperation with the private sector amid US sanctions.
The government says public ownership will remain central to its economic model.#EconomicReforms… pic.twitter.com/GJMG0FJz6d

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 16, 2026

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE

The Cuban Book Institute (ICL) has formally endorsed the candidacy of Cuban writer María Elena Llana Castro for the 2026 Miguel de Cervantes Prize for Literature in the Spanish Language, through a letter sent to the competition’s jury. The institution highlighted her career spanning more than six decades and her contribution to contemporary Cuban narrative.

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In the letter, the ICL—the governing body for the publishing, marketing, and promotion of books and serial publications, which operates under Cuba’s Ministry of Culture—described Llana Castro as one of the country’s most significant narrative writers. It noted that she received the 2023 National Literature Prize in recognition of her originality, stylistic skill, keen observation of the social environment in Havana, and her use of irony and humor.

The document underscored the author’s standing within the realm of Cuban fantastic literature and cited more than 15 published books. Among these, it highlighted La reja (Ediciones Revolución, 1965) and Casas del Vedado (Letras Cubanas, 1983)—a work that, according to the ICL, explored the fantastic dimension of the remnants of the former Cuban bourgeoisie.

The ICL also highlighted her work for younger audiences, including titles such as Sueños, sustos y sorpresas (Gente Nueva, 2011), Desde Marte hasta el parque (Gente Nueva, 2014), and Cuentos de viejos (Ediciones Aldabón, 2024).

La escritora María Elena Llana ha sido propuesta al Premio Cervantes 2026. Con esta nominación, se une Fina García Marruz,Dulce María Loynaz quien lo obtuvo en 1992 las únicas cubanas en ser postuladas al galardón constituye una conquista para la cultura cubana y su literatura. pic.twitter.com/Bk6WZNXiFA

— Roberto Jimenez (@Roberto196801) October 11, 2026

The text reads, “The writer María Elena Llana has been nominated for the 2026 Cervantes Prize. With this nomination, she joins Fina García Marruz and Dulce María Loynaz—the latter of whom won the award in 1992—as one of the few Cuban women to be put forward for the honor; this represents a significant achievement for Cuban culture and literature.”

The ICL noted that Llana Castro’s short stories have been included in international anthologies and translated into other languages. Furthermore, it pointed out that her body of work has been the subject of academic study in Cuba, Spain, the United States, and Mexico.

Between 1959 and 1992, the candidate carried out extensive work across newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and the news agency Prensa Latina. According to the letter, this experience enabled her to develop a meticulous command of language—a quality evident in her body of work, which is rooted in philosophical, anthropological, and cultural themes.

The institute also highlighted her contributions to national radio, where she adapted works of world literature for the radio medium. Llana Castro has served as a professor of journalism and the Spanish language in Vietnam, Angola, Mexico, Cuba, and the United States; she is also a founding member of both the Union of Journalists of Cuba and the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba.

The ICL asserted that the 2026 Cervantes Prize would be a fitting tribute to her more than six decades of literary work, and urged that the significance of her legacy be taken into account.

#Literature | Canadian poet Anne Carson wins the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature, recognized for her inventive approach to poetry, fiction and classical storytelling.#AnneCarson #NobelPrize2026 #teleSUREnglish pic.twitter.com/lFTqCRomaA

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 9, 2026

On Monday, Peru’s Ministry of Culture reported the Caral civilization—considered the oldest culture in the Americas—developed technologies, knowledge, and organizational methods to adapt to a diverse landscape and maintain trade with distant peoples 5,000 years ago.

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Archaeologist Ruth Shady, the Caral Archaeological Zone director, presented these findings during a press conference marking 32 years of archaeological work on the civilization. According to the specialist, research conducted at the site’s 12 urban centers offers insight into how the inhabitants lived in harmony with one another and with nature.

Caral is located along the Peruvian coast, 185 kilometers north of Lima. Archaeological evidence shows that its inhabitants managed resources, utilized various ecosystems, and established relationships with communities in distant regions.

The society integrated agricultural resources from the valleys with marine resources from the coast, complemented productive activities, and developed knowledge to manage water in alignment with natural cycles. These strategies reflect planning aimed at adapting to an environment subject to climatic variations.

Notable among their technological contributions are shicras—bags made of plant fibers and filled with stones—which were used as fill material for platforms and other architectural structures.

“Experimental studies indicate this system helps reduce the impact of seismic activity on the structures, demonstrating solutions adapted to the characteristics of the terrain,” Shady noted during the press conference.

🔴 La Ciudad Sagrada de Caral conmemora 32 años de investigaciones arqueológicas.

En esta fecha, la arqueóloga Ruth Shady destacó los conocimientos de esta antigua civilización y su respeto por la naturaleza.

Para celebrar este aniversario, el 23 y 24 de octubre se realizará el… pic.twitter.com/cM5XdWbu3z

— TVPerú Noticias (@noticias_tvperu) October 12, 2026

The text reads, “The Sacred City of Caral commemorates 32 years of archaeological research. On this date, archaeologist Ruth Shady highlighted the knowledge of this ancient civilization and its respect for nature. To celebrate this anniversary, the Caral Raymi will take place on October 23 and 24, with cultural activities and tours of the archaeological site.”

The construction of large public buildings, circular plazas, and residential complexes also demonstrates the society’s capacity for planning and collective labor. Furthermore, the orientation of certain buildings provides information regarding the observation of celestial cycles and the understanding of time—knowledge linked to agricultural and ceremonial activities.

Research indicates that Caral populations maintained ties with communities along the coast, in the Andes, and in the Amazon, as well as with regions in present-day Ecuador. Findings include objects made from Spondylus shells—sourced from the Ecuadorian coast—as well as macaw feathers and Amazonian snail shells.

“These findings reveal interaction networks that facilitated the exchange of goods, knowledge, technologies, and cultural practices via land, sea, and river routes,” the archaeologist stated.

Minister of Culture Alberto Beingolea highlighted the need to continue researching the legacy of Caral and to recognize the insights it can offer contemporary Peruvian society.

“Caral has left us with a wealth of examples that we must begin to heed today. That is why the events of over three decades ago—when its scientific recognition began—were so significant. Today, we must continue to find sources of knowledge and value in this civilization that can benefit all Peruvians,” the minister remarked.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Peru held the 2026 regional and municipal elections. pic.twitter.com/u6b7N7YZ2x

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 7, 2026