HAVANA.- The American city of Minneapolis was for three days the meeting place for Americans who today maintain their commitment to support the causes of Cuba and promote better relations between both countries.

The University of Augsburg hosted the conference of the National Network on Cuba (NNOC), which brings together more than 30 organizations, and among other goals, it dealt with the ending of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by Washington on the Caribbean island for almost 60 years.

This was ratified by the participants in the meeting in a proposal for a final declaration issued last Sunday, and on which the other NNOC members will have the opportunity to comment during this week before formally approving it.

In this text, the solidarity network reaffirms its defense of the sovereignty and self-determination of the Caribbean nation, and the willingness to continue the fight against the aforementioned siege, as well as to raise awareness about the impact of that American policy.

The proposed declaration also demands Donald Trump´s administration to end the prohibition for Americans to freely travel to Cuba.

Furthermore, it criticizes the fact that Washington has ignored the majority of people in the United States who declare loud and strong the desire to develop fraternal and normal relations with Cuba.

The spirit of the document summarizes the numerous samples of support to Cuba appreciated during the meeting, in which attendees discussed the actions they took last year and those planned for the coming one.

The organizations carried out many activities in support of Cuba, including actions at the United Nations, such as having the opportunity to listen to Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Nalda Vigezzi, NNOC co-director, told Prensa Latina news agency.

In addition to the aforementioned events, the activist stated that in recent months they supported activities in the communities, and promoted partnerships between teachers, unions, students and farmers from the two countries.

As part of the meeting, they referred to the Anti-Blockade Day held in Washington DC last month, which was specifically devoted to the damage caused by the siege in the educational sector.

They also talked about the tours made in the United States by the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization / Pastors for Peace, who next November will carry out its traditional solidarity caravan to Cuba, this time with stay in the east of the country.

Gail Walker, executive director of that group, told Prensa Latina that they will travel to Cuba on November 17 from Toronto and will return on the 25th, day that coincides with the second anniversary of the death of the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.

Another important event will be the commemoration in 2019 of the 50th anniversary of the Venceremos Brigade, the first international initiative of its kind to visit the Caribbean country.

We want to bring 300 people to celebrate the date and reaffirm our challenge to the unjust and illegal policies of the US Government against Cuba, said Malcolm Sacks, from New York City.

The conference called for continue working for more places to join almost a dozen US cities that already passed resolutions to reject the blockade, including precisely Minneapolis, which took such step last May.

Miguel Fraga, first secretary of the Cuban embassy in the United States, thanked the friends of the Caribbean island by their continued work and urged them to invite their countrymen to visit it to learn about the reality of that neighboring country.

We hope that this meeting will serve to give more strength to the movement and continue fighting against the blockade, which is the main problem, noted Alicia Jrapko, NNOC co-director.