MPEI representatives participated in ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s birth

On August 13, 2026, a solemn flower‑laying ceremony at the monument to Fidel Castro took place in Moscow, marking the 100th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution leader’s birth.

MPEI representatives attended the commemorative event, including all Cuban citizens currently studying at the university. The Directorate for Integration Policy Development arranged the participation.

The ceremony was held at Fidel Castro Square in Moscow’s Sokol district by the monument to the Cuban statesman. Enrique Horta González, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba led the event to the Russian Federation.

Participants honored Fidel Castro with a minute of silence and laid flowers at the monument. The ceremony brought together members of the Russian and Cuban diplomatic figures, as well as representatives of government and public organizations. Among the honored guests were Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Gennady Zyuganov, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation; Vladimir Vasiliev, Head of the United Russia faction in the State Duma; Vitaly Martynyuk, Executive Director of the Russian Military Historical Society, and Alexey Lavrov, President of the Russian Society for Friendship with Cuba.

Fidel Castro holds a special place in the history of Russian‑Cuban relations. During his leadership of Cuba, strong ties between the two countries took root in education, science, and national workforce training. Thousands of Cubans received education in the Soviet Union, and the professional and personal connections formed during that period became a vital foundation for the continued cooperation between Russia and Cuba.

MPEI’s participation in the anniversary ceremony symbolically carries forward this tradition. For many years, the university has contributed to training specialists for the Republic of Cuba, primarily to support the energy sector. Today, Cuban citizens study at MPEI in master’s and Ph.D programs, and the MPEI Targeted Training Center in Havana provides language, academic, and professional preparation for future specialists.

For the Cuban students at MPEI, taking part in the ceremony held particular significance. Sharing this moment with representatives of both nations gave them a tangible connection to the history of Russian‑Cuban relations – a legacy that today’s new generations of students, staff members and professionals continue to uphold.

The monument to Fidel Castro in Moscow was officially unveiled on November 22, 2022, by Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Miguel Díaz‑Canel, President of the Republic of Cuba. The monument stands at Fidel Castro Square, at the intersection of Novopeschanaya and 2nd Peschanaya streets.