Cuba to Host the 2025 International BarLady Competition

Cover photo: On the left, Nafsika Mouzakiti, coordinator of the International BarLady Competition, is accompanied by Kenia Borges, winner of the first edition of the BarLady in Athens, and Luisa Pérez, Deputy Director General of Quality and Operations of the Ministry of Tourism, at the moment when Eddis Naranjo, President of the Cuban Bartenders Association, announced that Cuba had secured the host venue for BarLady 2025.

At the closing ceremony of the activities celebrating the centennial of the Cuban Bartenders Association, it was officially announced that Cuba will be the host for the second edition of the International BarLady Competition in 2025, which will take place around March 8, on the International Women's Day.

Regarding this extraordinary news, Excelencias sat down with a renowned figure in the cocktail world, Nafsika Mouzakiti, founder and coordinator of the International BarLady Competition, who shared her enthusiasm and honor at being invited to celebrate the centennial of the Cuban Bartenders Association, and also achieving the approval from Cuban authorities for Cuba to be the venue for the next edition of the BarLady competition she created.

After emphasizing that the celebration of the Centennial of the Bartenders Association marks a milestone in the history of world mixology and highlighting its historical importance, she expressed that it was an honor for her to be here. “It's a dream, I don't know how many years I've dreamed of coming to Cuba. This is a dream come true,” she exclaimed, visibly moved. She also wanted to thank the Cuban Bartenders Association, especially its president, Eddis Naranjo Carrillo, and also the Cuban Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García Granda, for the invitation to the centennial of this historic association.

Nafsika Mouzakiti not only expressed her gratitude for the invitation but also highlighted the importance of the Cuban Bartenders Association on a global scale. "The best cocktails in the world come from here. The daiquiri, the mojito... everything comes from here."

For the last ten years, she has been a presenter at cocktail competitions and has initiated an international competition exclusively for women. The international competition she organized, BarLady of the Year, has brought together women from various parts of the world. The first edition was held on March 8th, International Women's Day, to emphasize the importance of gender equality. "I chose the day we celebrate the achievements of all women."

The event was a success, with participants from countries as diverse as Australia, Armenia, Turkey, and Cuba. "Some had never been to Greece before, and they became friends, not foes." Mouzakiti hopes this competition will grow and be held in different countries in the future with the aim of highlighting and valuing the presence and worth of women as bartenders. With this proposal, she contributes to the inclusion and empowerment of women in the cocktail industry worldwide, which will be reaffirmed in Cuba at BarLady 2025.