Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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Havana Biennial: Cuban culture defies the US empire
From intimate venues to grand stages, Scottish singer-songwriter CALUM BAIRD finds Cuba’s cultural heart still beats strong while power cuts and sanctions fail to silence artistic expression.
Scottish singer Calum Baird on the Malecon
ANGUS REID explains the significance of Cuba’s egalitarian in letter and spirit Family Code and the pertinent lessons it holds for democracies anywhere in the world
Special report by PEOPLE’S WORLD
NICK WRIGHT considers how the isolation of Israel and a new film on the controversial Italian communist leader are creating new reference points for Italy’s left
CARLOS MARTINEZ says Cuba’s achievements in the face of a criminal blockade are startling, but the island’s future if the United States succeeds in crushing it looks bleak
AMNON BROWNFIELD STEIN reports that far-right MPs who mobbed the event organised by Hadash may have helped raise awareness of the brutality of the Israeli right
TRAVELLING from Edinburgh to London, London to Madrid, Madrid to Havana, I was full of anticipation. Once I stepped off the plane and was reunited with my guitar, that anticipation ratcheted up all the more.
Supported by Unison Scotland, FBU Scotland, Unite Hospitality Scotland, BFAWU, PCS Scotland and the Peace and Justice Project, I travelled to Havana from November 19-29 as the only Scottish musician taking part in the 40th edition of the Havana Biennial.
I dived headfirst into the vibrant cultural scenery of the Biennial — literally, three hours after leaving the airport, I was on stage in El Antonia in the heart of Old Havana. I was part of a delegation that included artists and musicians from Ecuador, France and Switzerland — including German rock and blues band Keimzeit.
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