Excelencias Group Presents the 2019 Excelencias Cuba Awards
With an artistic-cultural gala held on Wednesday, February 12, at the Avellaneda Hall of the Cuban National Theater in Havana, the Excelencias Group presented the Excelencias Cuba Awards, just a few days after the presentation of its international awards in Madrid, Spain, within the framework of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR 2020).
At the opening of the evening's ceremony, the President of the Excelencias Group, José Carlos de Santiago, said this is just another night of light, awards and recognition. "We have come here tonight to recognize the social vocation of our citizens and this is an award they receive on behalf of their country." He also pointed out that it's a tremendous privilege to be here on this beautiful island to chip in our little contribution to make Cuba shine even brighter worldwide."
In another part of his keynote speech, Mr. Jose Carlos de Santiago said Cuba has been present in our hearts and in our awards since the first Excelencias Awards granted in 2005. "Cuba is the Caribbean's safest travel destination and one of the safest in the entire world", he pointed out,
The President of the Excelencias Group recalled that Havana, a city that recently turned 500 years old, and even though the Cuban capital was recognized within the framework of FITUR in Madrid, Spain, "this is a great moment to give these awards once again in Cuba."
The Excelencias Awards were presented for the first time in 2005, in Spain, in the context of FITUR. Since then, presentations have been made in various places around the world, and today there are three calls for entries: the international, always presented within the framework of FITUR; the Cuban, presented in Havana; and the Mexican.
The three calls for entries for the Excellence Awards share the spirit of the Group and the award categories. As time went by, the initial category of the Excelencias Tourism Awards was joined by the categories of the Excelencias Gourmet Award, the Silvia Zorzanello Award, the Ramón Álvarez Award and the Nicolás Muela Award.
In addition, in 2019 the Excelencias Group added the Green and Blue Award categories, which reward projects committed to sustainability and the environment.
In their Cuban edition, the Excelencias Awards are also given in the Art and Motor categories. This year 2019, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of the City of Havana, the Special Havana 500 Award was also presented, which paid tribute to the capital of all Cubans and rewarded projects of great impact in the celebration of the 5th centenary of the town of San Cristóbal de La Habana.
For this year's edition in Cuba, several candidatures were presented of projects, entities, institutions and personalities of the island linked to the sectors of tourism, arts, culture, heritage, gastronomy, motoring and environmental protection.
Year after year, the awarding of the prizes to the winners is derived from a wide and varied selection of candidates from all over the world, who are selected by secret and unappealable vote of the members of the jury. For the first time this year, the Cuban Excellence Awards were attended by the population, who were able to vote for their favorite projects, institutions and personalities.
The Excelencias Cuba Awards presentation ceremony was also the setting chosen by the Excelencias Group to replicate the delivery of two distinctions that had been presented to the Cubanacán Tourism Group and to the city of Havana within the framework of the international ceremony of the Excelencias Awards, held last January 22 within the context of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR 2020).
The winners of the Excelencias News Cuba Awards in the 40 categories announced were the following:
Habana 500 Special Award
EMPRESA DISEÑO HABANA (DCH)
For its contribution to the construction of works of high social and urban impact in the country's capital.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
RON HAVANA CLUB 1519
For the exquisite rum crafted by Cuban master rum makers to mark the 500th anniversary of the foundation of the city of Havana.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Amed Alvarez, chief of Sales and Marketing
D'HABANA SUCHEL CAMACHO
For being a very well achieved fragrance that entertains the Villa de San Cristobal in Havana in its half millennium of existence.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Marilyn Maqueira, President of the Suchel Camacho Joint Venture
Excelencias Turísticas Awards
OFFICE OF THE HISTORIAN OF THE CITY OF CAMAGUEY
For its work as a cultural institution, in which it develops an intense task in favor of art and culture in the territory, through processes of restoration, artistic creation, community work and rescue of heritage values
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
“RUTAS Y ANDARES” PROJECT
For their work in favor of an option of cultural tourism that privileges the interrelation of guides and families, in an experience that involves all the components of the Historical Centre of Havana.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Katia, head of Cultural Management with the Office of the City’s Histotian
PARRANDAS DE REMEDIOS
For its contribution to keep alive the best cultural traditions of the island and for being considered one of the three main national holidays of Cuba.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
“RIOS INTERMITENTES” PROJECT
For managing to revitalize and heal the city of Matanzas through artistic gestures that revive traditions and forgotten places, creating artistic circuits in the community that help to renew it with a feeling of cultural pride.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
Excelencias Gourmet Award
COCO SOLO AGROECOLOGICAL FARM
For the use of agro-ecological practices in the town of Viñales aimed at protecting the environment and making the fruit healthier.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Orestes Gonzalez Rivero, owner
RITA & CHAMPAGNE RESTAURANT
For constituting a gastronomic proposal that honors the simplicity of the exquisite and for exalting the so-called market cuisine, where fresh products are used without chemical preservatives.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Sahily Romero, owner
EL OLIVO AGROECOLOGY FARM
For proposing and achieving a more integrated and environmentally friendly vision in which good agro-ecological practices are applied.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Osnel Corrales Valdés, owner
JUAN JESUS MACHIN
For his outstanding work, from the sommelier's office, in defense of the Cuban cultural identity and the sustainability of the discourse of knowledge.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Juan Jesús Machín
Excelencias del Motor Awards
HAVANA CLUB INTERNATIONAL - "IF YOU DRINK, DON'T DRIVE" CAMPAIGN
As this is a project aimed at promoting responsible behavior among vehicle drivers, as well as alerting and preventing the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Amed Alvarez, head of Sales and Marketing
"A LO CUBANO" CLASSIC CAR CLUB
For encouraging the preservation of the originality of the vehicles, as well as enriching the traditions and cultural values of the country's vehicle fleet.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
CUBA ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE CLUB (MEC)
For promoting messages aimed at improving road safety. For their work in environmental clean-up, their social contributions and the implementation of various humanitarian activities.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
LORENZO VERDECIA ESPINOZA
For his longstanding and celebrated career in the motor industry, in the foundation of car and motorbike clubs.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Lorenzo Verdecia Espinoza
Arte por Excelencias Awards
LIUBA MARIA HEVIA
For being a composer and singer par excellence, one of the highest representatives of contemporary Cuban culture. For the high poetic level, melodic, rhythmic and thematic variety of her compositions.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
NATIONAL FOLKLORIC GROUP
For being an emblematic Cuban dance group that has cultivated Cuban folklore for more than fifty years, with works of high artistic value and faithful to its folkloric essence.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Manolo Micler, company director
LESBIA VENT DUMOIS
For the outstanding artistic career of a lifetime of this important Cuban painter and engraver, winner of the National Prize of Plastic Arts 2019, in addition to her intense work at Casa de las Americas.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Lesbia Vent Dumois
FAILDE ORCHESTRA
For his project to rescue and renovate Danzón in Cuba and Mexico, as well as having promoted the twinning between Veracruz, Havana, and his hometown, the Athens of Cuba, Matanzas.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Etiel Failde, band leader
ALAIN PEREZ
For his extensive work and his latest album, recorded with the EGREM, and which is already beginning to become a musical and cultural event. For the stylistic and sound renovation that he has promoted in Cuban dance music.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Alain Pérez
IVETTE CEPEDA
For his work in various musical genres such as son, bolero, jazz, bossa nova, song and fusion between them, framed in a wide musical repertoire.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Ivette Cepeda
JUAN PADRÓN
For his outstanding work as a caricaturist, cartoonist, illustrator, cartoonist, scriptwriter and director of Cuban cinema, and for the 45th anniversary, celebrated last year, of his most emblematic creation: the beloved character of Elpidio Valdés.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Juan Padrón
ROCLAND AND THE REVOLUTION BALLET
For having represented Cuba with pride in the most diverse world scenarios of the show, renewing the choreographic concept and achieving a very contemporary and unique stamp.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Roclan
CASA DE LA GUAYABERA
For promoting, since the creation of this cultural project, the safeguarding of the largest collection of this Cuban national garment. The Museum is considered a jewel of the neoclassical style in the city of Sancti Spíritus, one of the founding towns of Cuba.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Carlos Figueroa, Director
Excelencias News Cuba Awards
ANTONIO MARTINEZ RODRIGUEZ
For being an example of leadership, he contributes to the development of tourism in Cuba, gives his work and clear vision of the new trends and potential of the institution he has been running for 22 years: the National Hotel of Cuba.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Antonio Martínez Rodríguez
POLYMITA PUBLISHING HOUSE
Since its foundation in Guatemala in 2007, it has made known the treasures of History, Architecture, Nature and Culture of our American countries, particularly Cuba. For the profusion of illustrations and the use of current photographs in his publications.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Julio Larramendi, head publisher
GILBERTO SILVA TABOADA
For being an outstanding Cuban scientist with a long and fruitful scientific career of relevant contributions to the Cuban mammal-zoology, especially in the bat category, as well as in the cave fauna, and in the museology of the Cuban natural history.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Gilberto Silva Taboada
JOSE M. RUBIERA
The director of the National Forecasting Center of the Cuban Institute of Meteorology, a scientific researcher and Doctor of Science, is an indispensable man when it comes to forecasting the weather, especially in the face of the threat of hurricanes. He is an honorary member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences since 2018.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: José María Rubiera Torres
Excelencias Sustainability Award
Green category:
SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN TOURIST DESTINATIONS - TOURISM SCHOOL
For constituting a research project of the Faculty of Tourism of the University of Havana aimed at evaluating the sustainability of tourist destinations from various approaches, based on the adaptation of methodological instruments to achieve the best international practices.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Martha Omara Robert, project chief
HOTEL IBEROSTAR VARADERO
For pioneering the disposal of single-use plastics without affecting the quality of the customer experience, thus contributing to global efforts to reduce the impacts of this type of waste on the land and marine environment.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
Blue category:
CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF STRUCTURES AND MATERIALS, CIDEM, UNIVERSITY OF LAS VILLAS
For having become the first plant in the world to produce LC3 cement with low levels of clinker and high resistance to the effects of chlorides.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Dr. Jose Fernando Martinera Hernandez, head of the Center for Structure and Material Research and Development, Universidad Central de las Villas “Martha Abreu”
ECOMADERA
For presenting an ecological, sustainable, and sustainable project consisting of the combination of various residues to achieve a substitute for wood, for its commitment to recycling for the future without polluting materials.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, Chairman of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
Excelencias Science and Research Award
MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY CENTER
For 25 years of service to Cuban science. Its three most outstanding milestones have been the creation of a protein for the treatment of anemia; a monoclonal antibody, and a therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of lung cancer.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: M.D. Eduardo Ojito Magaz, Director
IMMUNOLOGY TRIAL CENTER (CIE)
For its multiple contributions to Cuban health services, including diagnoses for six different diseases such as congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria and congenital adrenal hyperplasia, among many other contributions of this institution.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Niurka Margarita Carlos Pías, center director
Excelencias Awards
MIJAIN LOPEZ
A glory of the Cuba sports real, five times Pan-American champion, multiple world champion and three times Olympic champion, considered one of the most successful Cuban and world sportsmen of all times.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Mijaín López
“TEJIENDO HILOS” PROJECT
For their laudable work in training and social integration in order to employ people with physical and mental disabilities in textile workshops. Winner of the CITMA 2016 Award.
Presented by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
GABI & SOFI
For being the only comprehensive Cuban children's brand that offers a varied range of articles aimed at making children's lives better.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by: Ariel Balmaseda, project chief
“ENTRE AGUJAS” PROJECT
This project, sponsored by the Office of the Conservative of the City of Trinidad and the Valley of the Sugar Mills, has proposed, since 2008, to preserve the traditions of lingerie and handicrafts in this foundational village in central Cuba.
Delivered by: José Carlos de Santiago, President of the Excelencias Group
Received by:
About the Excelencias Awards
The Excelencias Awards were presented for the first time in 2005, in Spain, in the context of FITUR. Since then, presentations have been made in various places around the world, and today there are three calls for entries: the international, always presented within the framework of FITUR; the Cuban, presented in Havana; and the Mexican.
The three calls for entries for the Excellence Awards share the spirit of the Group and
the award categories. As time went by, the initial category of the Excelencias Tourism Awards was joined by the categories of the Excelencias Gourmet Award, the Silvia Zorzanello Award, the Ramón Álvarez Award and the Nicolás Muela Award.
In addition, in 2019 the Excelencias Group added the Green and Blue Award categories, which reward projects committed to sustainability and the environment.
In their Cuban edition, the Excelencias Awards are also given in the Art and Motor categories. This year 2019, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of the City of Havana, the Special Havana 500 Award was also presented, which paid tribute to the capital of all Cubans and rewarded projects of great impact in the celebration of the 500 years of the city of San Cristóbal de La Habana.
