prepared for Educational Travel Conference, New Orleans, February 19, 2009
Statements in support of educational travel to Cuba:
At peak, 84,500 Americans who were not of Cuban origin traveled to Cuba in 2003 for a wide variety of educational, cultural, sports and people to people exchanges. For domestic political reasons, the Bush administration choked off most of this non-tourist travel in 2004.
The case for the Obama Administration modifying or ending restrictions on travel to Cuba has been made by many educational, business, travel, humanitarian, think-tank and advocacy groups. Those of most direct relevance to travel educators are from
* 13 academic, business, NGO and advocacy organizations (initiated by NAFSA)
American Association of State Colleges and Universities
American Friends Service Committee
Church World Service
Fund for Reconciliation and Development
Latin America Working Group
Latin American Studies Association
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
National Foreign Trade Council
Operation USA
Social Science Research Council
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
USA*Engage
Washington Office on Latin America
http://www.nafsa.org/cubaletter
* American Society of Travel Agents
http://ticc.blogspot.com/2008/12/american-society-of-travel-agents.html
* American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)
http://obamacuba.blogspot.com/2009/02/aascu-statement-on-restrictions-of.html
* Summit of 37 travel and tourism industry leaders (organized by the National Tour Association) urged President Obama, "Adopt as policy that the citizens of the United States should be free to travel the globe without artificial restrictions placed on them by their own government."
http://ticc.blogspot.com/2009/01/tourism-industry-summit-calls-for-end.html
Links to other civil society statements including recommendations from the Brookings Institution, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Cuba Study Group can be found here:
http://obamacuba.blogspot.com/2008/12/us-civil-society-wants-change-in-us.html
An on-line letter to President Obama endorsed to date by 1154 persons, often with eloquent personal comments, can be seen and signed at
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/obamacuba/
Two paths to educational travel:
1) President Obama can use his existing authority to authorize a wide range of educational programs, as existed until 2003.
http://obamacuba.blogspot.com/2008/12/travel-president-can-allow.html
If qualified persons and institutions receive a general license (as has been available to journalists, professional researchers, and Cuban Americans) the cumbersome, costly and time-consuming application process will be eliminated.
2) Congress can pass a law to end all restrictions on travel for every US person and institution..
This legislation has been submitted in the House with eight bipartisan sponsors.
Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act, H. R. 874
http://uscubanormalization.blogspot.com/2009/02/freedom-to-travel-to-cuba-act-hr-874.html
An identical bill will be submitted soon in the Senate.
Time line:
The President could allow educational and other forms of non-tourist travel at any moment. The Congress could end all travel restrictions at any time but the normal legislative process of collecting co-sponsors, sub-committee and committee hearings and mark-up, and floor debate could last until summer or even the fall.
President Obama has directed a review of Cuba policy which may last more than six weeks and may result in substantial changes. He is under pressure from his commitment voiced repeatedly during the campaign to immediately allow unlimited Cuban American travel and remittances. In addition, he must prepare for the Summit of the Americas on April 17th. Without Congress he cannot end the unilateral US embargo, as has been advocated by virtually all of the other Summit participants, but to be credible he must bring evidence that US policy is changing.
How to prepare:
Schools and organizations that sent groups to Cuba before the Bush shut-down of 2004 should renew contact with their partners in Havana. Those with a new interest should consult with the Fund for Reconciliation and Development to receive an update on the evolving legal situation and an introduction to the most appropriate Cuban agency authorized to organize programs for Americans: Amistur, Havanatur, or San Cristobol.
FRD and Holbrook Travel are facilitating American participation in Cuba’s Feria Internacional de Turismo, May 4-8, 2009. This annual trade fair is a comprehensive program that brings together a wide range of Cuban providers and international companies operating there with tour operators and travel agencies from Canada, Europe and Latin America.
http://www.cubatravel.cu/client/events/info.php?event_id=4&locale=en
Actions by the Administration and Congress will set the legal parameters for American involvement. Americans may not be able to do more than make contacts and educate themselves about the potential for cooperation, but this is an unequaled opportunity to do so. Under discussion with authorities in Havana is a special orientation session for Americans on May 3, a follow-up discussion on May 9, and a post-Feria familiarization tour.
How to make it possible:
If you have access to members of the Obama administration, please impress upon them how important it is for your institution for the President to provide a general license to the twelve categories of non-tourist travel as soon as possible.
Call or write your Representative and Senators asking them to cosponsor HR 874 and the Senate equivalent. At the same time, ask them to urge the President to start the ball rolling with non-tourist travel.
Write an opinion article for school or community newspapers, professional journals, web pages and blogs that describe the kind of program with Cuba that you plan to organize when the Administration and/or Congress change US policy.
Let FRD know the response you receive from Congress and please send us your published articles.
.
Web resources:
Official tourism portal http://www.cubatravel.cu/
Cuba Tourist Board Canada http://www.gocuba.ca/en/index.asp
Sol Melia video http://www.solmeliacuba.com/videos/cuba-travel-cuba-attractions-cuba-hotels
Retreat from Reason: U.S.-Cuban Academic Relations and the Bush Administration
Written by an international team of U.S. and Cuban scholars, examines the history of and regulations on academic, scientific, and cultural exchange between the United States and Cuba that were largely stopped in 2004.
http://www.lawg.org/docs/retreatfromreason.pdf
FRD Right to Travel newsletter http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs080/1101047693478/archive/1102461681674.html
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Washington Consultation March 5-6, 2009
February 11, 2009
Dear Colleagues:
A representative group of the Cuba Steering Committee (an ad hoc working group of more than two dozen organizations and individuals active on Cuba policy issues) invites you to participate in this year's Cuba Consultation day.
Since 1995, there have been more than a dozen "Cuba Consultations," events at which a broad spectrum of individuals and groups who support change in U.S. policy toward Cuba have gathered together to share points of view and get a sense of the challenges and opportunities that confront us in the Congress, with the administration, and in public opinion.
The consultation is an opportunity for people who care about Cuba and changing U.S. policy to come together to discuss an issue which unites all sectors - travel. From academics to farmers, Cuban Americans to religious organizations, and from travel service providers to performing artists to curious citizens, everyone is suffering under U.S. restrictions.
In recent years, the Cuba Consultation focused attention on the situation in the U.S. Congress, and the possibilities of legislative action. This year we are presented with our best opportunity in years to press for a transformational shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba: the greatest possible reduction in U.S. economic sanctions, including the travel restrictions that block citizen contact, and more diplomatic engagement with Cuba.
A key part of this will be efforts to achieve bold action by the Congress to end the ban on travel to Cuba for all Americans. In the House of Representatives, legislation to end the travel ban has already been introduced, HR 874. At the consultation, we will talk about how to work with and move the Congress on the travel issue.
A new administration has come to Washington, and a new environment exists. A review of U.S.-Cuba policy is currently underway in the administration, and anticipation is high that the President will issue an executive order in the coming weeks. Ending the ban on travel for Cuban Americans is a good first step, but only a first step. Our message must be loud and clear. Congress must act to allow travel for all. This is an exciting and strategic moment to make our voices heard.
We encourage you to register for the consultation (see below) and begin now making appointments with your members of Congress for Friday, March 6. Congress is in session that day and will be holding votes. Your members will be in Washington, so ask for a moment of their time, in addition to meeting with their Foreign Policy Aides. We can help you with phone numbers, staff names, etc., if you ask. We will also provide a "How to" session, with coffee and bagels, the morning of the 6th for those who want hints on how to conduct a meeting with staff and members.
(As you plan your travel, you might keep in mind that in previous years the Cuban Interests Section has sometimes hosted its own event during or right after the consultation. We anticipate that they might host a reception on the evening of the 6th after the close of our consultation. This has not yet been confirmed, but we want you to be aware of this possibility when you make your travel plans.)
A tentative agenda -- to help encourage you to participate -- follows our signatures. (Please note that the afternoon is devoted to workshops. Please contact us if you are interested in helping develop a workshop or have a workshop topic to propose.)
Below our signatures is a link to a short registration form for you to complete. You can email, fax, or mail it to us (email: lawg@lawg.org; fax 202.543.7647; snail mail Cuba Consultation 2009, LAWG, 424 C Street NE, Washington, DC 20002). PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
The Cuba Consultation 2009 registration fee is a modest $40 per person, to help us cover lunch, materials, venue, etc. There is a space on the registration form for your credit card information, or you may write a check to LAWG to attach to your snail mail registration or to give us upon arrival at the consultation.
If you have any further questions, contact Paulo Gusmao/LAWG, 202.546.7010, pgusmao@lawg.org; or Lilia Lopez/WOLA, 202.797.2171, llopez@wola.org.
Sincerely,
*Geoff Thale, Lilia Lopez, Angelica Salazar, and Ashley Morse Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
*Mavis Anderson and Paulo Gusmao - Latin America Working Group (LAWG)
*Wayne Smith - Center for International Policy (CIP)
*Bob Guild - Marazul Charters, Inc.
*Silvia Wilhelm - Puentes Cubanos
*Sandra Levinson - Center for Cuban Studies
*Randy Poindexter - FOCUS (Friends of Cuba)
*Kirsten Moller - Global Exchange
*Sarah Stephens - Center for Democracy in the Americas
*Delvis Fernandez and Luis Rumbaut - Cuban American Alliance Education Fund (CAAEF)
*Melinda St. Louis - Witness for Peace
*Jan Strout - U.S. Women & Cuba Collaboration
*Cindy Domingo - Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
*Lisa Valanti - US-CUBA Sister Cities Association
*John McAuliff - Fund for Reconciliation and Development
*Jim Vondracek, Gary Cozette, Marilyn McKenna, and Danielle Wegman - Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
*Louis Head - U.S.-Cuba Cultural Exchange
*Marty Shupack - Church World Service
*Ricardo Gonzalez - Madison-CamagueySisterCity Association
*Bob Schwartz - Disarm Education Fund
*Art Heitzer and Sandra Edhlund - Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba
*Tony Zamora and Elena Freyre - ForNorm
See the registration form here
See the tentative agenda below or click here
TENTATIVE AGENDA
Thursday, March 5
8:30 a.m. Registration
9:00 -10:15 a.m.
Panel 1: U.S./Cuba Overview
*Developments in Cuba
*The Obama Administration and Cuba policy review
Executive order/travel for families and others
*Congressional Action on Cuba
10:30 - 11:15 a.m.
Panel 2: Getting to Travel for All
*Strategies
*Arguments and tools for organizers
*Media work
11:30 - 12:30 p.m.
Panel 3: Sectoral updates and strategies
*Academic community support for full travel
*Religious community support for full travel
*Cuban American (ENCASA and others)
*Business community support for full travel
12:30 -1:30 p.m. Lunch and small group discussions/networking
1:45 - 3:00 p.m. Workshops Session One
*Organizing congressional meetings
*Local media work
*Travel to Cuba
*Others?
3:15 - 5:00 p.m. Workshops Session Two
*Organizing congressional meetings
*Local media work
*Travel to Cuba
*Others?
Friday, March 6
Full day of congressional Hill visits set up by individual participants with your members of Congress
Pick up packets, and orientation session for congressional visits
(Location TBD)
8:30 a.m. Coffee, registration, pick up materials
9:00 -10:00 a.m. What to do at a congressional meeting, and follow up
Time TBD Public forum on Capitol Hill, sponsored by ForNorm (Foundation for the Normalization of US-Cuba Relations) on South Florida Congressional Surveys - Policy Implications for U.S./Cuba Relations
All day till 5:00 p.m. Hospitality, coffee, report back forms drop off
(Location TBD)
Dear Colleagues:
A representative group of the Cuba Steering Committee (an ad hoc working group of more than two dozen organizations and individuals active on Cuba policy issues) invites you to participate in this year's Cuba Consultation day.
Since 1995, there have been more than a dozen "Cuba Consultations," events at which a broad spectrum of individuals and groups who support change in U.S. policy toward Cuba have gathered together to share points of view and get a sense of the challenges and opportunities that confront us in the Congress, with the administration, and in public opinion.
The consultation is an opportunity for people who care about Cuba and changing U.S. policy to come together to discuss an issue which unites all sectors - travel. From academics to farmers, Cuban Americans to religious organizations, and from travel service providers to performing artists to curious citizens, everyone is suffering under U.S. restrictions.
In recent years, the Cuba Consultation focused attention on the situation in the U.S. Congress, and the possibilities of legislative action. This year we are presented with our best opportunity in years to press for a transformational shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba: the greatest possible reduction in U.S. economic sanctions, including the travel restrictions that block citizen contact, and more diplomatic engagement with Cuba.
A key part of this will be efforts to achieve bold action by the Congress to end the ban on travel to Cuba for all Americans. In the House of Representatives, legislation to end the travel ban has already been introduced, HR 874. At the consultation, we will talk about how to work with and move the Congress on the travel issue.
A new administration has come to Washington, and a new environment exists. A review of U.S.-Cuba policy is currently underway in the administration, and anticipation is high that the President will issue an executive order in the coming weeks. Ending the ban on travel for Cuban Americans is a good first step, but only a first step. Our message must be loud and clear. Congress must act to allow travel for all. This is an exciting and strategic moment to make our voices heard.
We encourage you to register for the consultation (see below) and begin now making appointments with your members of Congress for Friday, March 6. Congress is in session that day and will be holding votes. Your members will be in Washington, so ask for a moment of their time, in addition to meeting with their Foreign Policy Aides. We can help you with phone numbers, staff names, etc., if you ask. We will also provide a "How to" session, with coffee and bagels, the morning of the 6th for those who want hints on how to conduct a meeting with staff and members.
(As you plan your travel, you might keep in mind that in previous years the Cuban Interests Section has sometimes hosted its own event during or right after the consultation. We anticipate that they might host a reception on the evening of the 6th after the close of our consultation. This has not yet been confirmed, but we want you to be aware of this possibility when you make your travel plans.)
A tentative agenda -- to help encourage you to participate -- follows our signatures. (Please note that the afternoon is devoted to workshops. Please contact us if you are interested in helping develop a workshop or have a workshop topic to propose.)
Below our signatures is a link to a short registration form for you to complete. You can email, fax, or mail it to us (email: lawg@lawg.org; fax 202.543.7647; snail mail Cuba Consultation 2009, LAWG, 424 C Street NE, Washington, DC 20002). PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
The Cuba Consultation 2009 registration fee is a modest $40 per person, to help us cover lunch, materials, venue, etc. There is a space on the registration form for your credit card information, or you may write a check to LAWG to attach to your snail mail registration or to give us upon arrival at the consultation.
If you have any further questions, contact Paulo Gusmao/LAWG, 202.546.7010, pgusmao@lawg.org; or Lilia Lopez/WOLA, 202.797.2171, llopez@wola.org.
Sincerely,
*Geoff Thale, Lilia Lopez, Angelica Salazar, and Ashley Morse Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
*Mavis Anderson and Paulo Gusmao - Latin America Working Group (LAWG)
*Wayne Smith - Center for International Policy (CIP)
*Bob Guild - Marazul Charters, Inc.
*Silvia Wilhelm - Puentes Cubanos
*Sandra Levinson - Center for Cuban Studies
*Randy Poindexter - FOCUS (Friends of Cuba)
*Kirsten Moller - Global Exchange
*Sarah Stephens - Center for Democracy in the Americas
*Delvis Fernandez and Luis Rumbaut - Cuban American Alliance Education Fund (CAAEF)
*Melinda St. Louis - Witness for Peace
*Jan Strout - U.S. Women & Cuba Collaboration
*Cindy Domingo - Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
*Lisa Valanti - US-CUBA Sister Cities Association
*John McAuliff - Fund for Reconciliation and Development
*Jim Vondracek, Gary Cozette, Marilyn McKenna, and Danielle Wegman - Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
*Louis Head - U.S.-Cuba Cultural Exchange
*Marty Shupack - Church World Service
*Ricardo Gonzalez - Madison-CamagueySisterCity Association
*Bob Schwartz - Disarm Education Fund
*Art Heitzer and Sandra Edhlund - Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba
*Tony Zamora and Elena Freyre - ForNorm
See the registration form here
See the tentative agenda below or click here
TENTATIVE AGENDA
Thursday, March 5
8:30 a.m. Registration
9:00 -10:15 a.m.
Panel 1: U.S./Cuba Overview
*Developments in Cuba
*The Obama Administration and Cuba policy review
Executive order/travel for families and others
*Congressional Action on Cuba
10:30 - 11:15 a.m.
Panel 2: Getting to Travel for All
*Strategies
*Arguments and tools for organizers
*Media work
11:30 - 12:30 p.m.
Panel 3: Sectoral updates and strategies
*Academic community support for full travel
*Religious community support for full travel
*Cuban American (ENCASA and others)
*Business community support for full travel
12:30 -1:30 p.m. Lunch and small group discussions/networking
1:45 - 3:00 p.m. Workshops Session One
*Organizing congressional meetings
*Local media work
*Travel to Cuba
*Others?
3:15 - 5:00 p.m. Workshops Session Two
*Organizing congressional meetings
*Local media work
*Travel to Cuba
*Others?
Friday, March 6
Full day of congressional Hill visits set up by individual participants with your members of Congress
Pick up packets, and orientation session for congressional visits
(Location TBD)
8:30 a.m. Coffee, registration, pick up materials
9:00 -10:00 a.m. What to do at a congressional meeting, and follow up
Time TBD Public forum on Capitol Hill, sponsored by ForNorm (Foundation for the Normalization of US-Cuba Relations) on South Florida Congressional Surveys - Policy Implications for U.S./Cuba Relations
All day till 5:00 p.m. Hospitality, coffee, report back forms drop off
(Location TBD)
Monday, April 23, 2007
Links to Campaign Resources
Text of Senate and House bills to end all restrictions on travel to Cuba S721 or HR654
S 1673 The Promoting American Agricultural and Medical Exports to Cuba Act of 2007
HR 757 Cuban-American Family Rights Restoration Act
http://thomas.loc.gov/
(after clicking on site, insert bill number in box)
***** ***** *****
Current list of S 721 cosponsors
http://www.lawg.org/countries/cuba/co-sponsors_senate_s721.htm
If your Senators are not on the list, please call their offices on a weekly basis until you get a definite answer about cosponsoring.
***** ***** *****
Current list of HR 654 cosponsors
http://www.lawg.org/countries/cuba/co-sponsors_hr654.htm
If your Representative is not on the list, please call his or her office on a weekly basis until you get a definite answer about cosponsoring.
***** ***** *****
To add your name to the Statement of Support for legislation to end travel restrictions, go to
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Cubatravelbill/
***** ***** *****
Positions of Presidential Candidates http://candidatecubawatch.blogspot.com/
***** ***** *****
Weekly legislative update postings from Latin America Working Group
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/LAWG/signUp.jsp?key=427
***** ***** *****
Cuba Central weekly news bulletin
http://www.cubacentral.com/
***** ***** *****
Blogged news articles
http://uscubanormalization.blogspot.com/
***** ***** *****
Personal Reflections on US-Cuba Relations
http://mcauliffsmusings.blogspot.com/
*****************************************
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Top ten reasons for changing U.S. policy
http://www.thecubatopten.com/
Foreign Affairs article by Julia Sweig, Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070101faessay86104/julia-e-sweig/fidel-s-final-victory.html
****************************
To support educational work on US relations with Cuba
http://www.nycharities.org/donate/c_donate.asp?CharityCode=1270
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