The UK Labour Party, which won a general election on July 4 after 14 years of Conservative rule, will hold its annual conference in Liverpool on September 22-25. The participation of trade union representatives from all over the country, as well as parliamentarians, underscores the importance of the event.
The conference will focus on the internal issues of the European nation and will also host side events that complete the political projection of the party and its relationship with society. Two of these spaces have been organized by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, a non-governmental organization that has been promoting solidarity, internationalism and relations with workers and the Cuban government for more than 60 years.
For decades, the Group has organized work brigades, specialized trips, exchanges in various fields and solidarity donations. Recent initiatives include «Viva la Educación» (2023), in support of the Cuban education sector; the «Cuba Vive» appeal (2024), which aims to raise at least £100,000 sterling to purchase medical supplies in need; and the donation of musical instruments and accessories for the ballet.
With over 5,000 members, several affiliates and local groups, the Cuba Solidarity Campaign has also built a strong history of links between the trade union movements in Cuba and the UK.
On its website (cuba-solidarity.org.uk), the organization informs that on September 23 and 24, in the context of the Liverpool Workers’ Conference, the issue of Cuba will be exposed and publicly debated. They also announced that support will be ratified for the struggle that Cuba has been waging for more than 60 years against the economic, commercial and financial blockade, as well as the demand to be removed from the false list of sponsors of terrorism organized by the United States.
This will be an opportunity to address the devastating effects of the blockade, especially on Cuban workers and their families who face shortages of medicine, food and fuel due to this hostile policy, organizers said.
The first of these events (Cuba Vive North West Rally and Fundraiser) will take place on Monday 23rd to raise funds to buy medical supplies and medicines that are in short supply in Cuba. So far, leading British political and trade union figures have confirmed their attendance, including Kim Johnson MP (Liverpool), Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (London), Richard Burgon MP (Leeds), Kevan Nelson, Assistant General Secretary of UNISON (Public Services Union) and Sarah Woolley, General Secretary of the BFAWU (Food and Allied Workers Union).
In addition to raising funds for the Cuba Vive campaign, the day will include speeches, audiovisuals about Cuban internationalism and the Cuban health system, and there will also be space to show solidarity with Palestine.
The second event (Cuban workers under blockade) is scheduled for Tuesday 24th and aims to sensitize the British and international community to the difficulties faced by the Cuban people in a context of economic crisis and the strengthening of the U.S. economic war against the country. This initiative will call to respond positively and with action to the urgent need for solidarity that Cuba and its workers are experiencing today,
Both days of support come just weeks before the Caribbean nation goes to the United Nations General Assembly to denounce the blockade, where it receives near-unanimous support from the world community.