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• Arts and Culture
• International
• Theater
• 10 / 04 / 2007

«Were prouder than ever for being Cuban!» said Carlos Alberto Cremata without hesitation when interviewed by Juventud Rebelde newspaper. He had just learned on Thursday that his childrens theater company will become the first Cuban organization to be named Goodwill Ambassador of the UNICEF:

On Wednesday October 3, the regional director of the UNICEF for Latin American and the Caribbean, Mr. Nils Kastberg, and the representative of that organization to Cuba, Mr. Jose Juan Ortiz, made the official announcement, which brought instantaneous joy to Cremata and his troupe of children.

Since the celebrations are going to be huge, Cremata and La Colmenita will stage their latest show, the magnificent Cinderella...by The Beatles. With this recognition, La Colmenita will become part of the exclusive group of artists who bear this title, which includes names such as Mercedes Sosa, Joan Manuel Serrat, Charles Aznavour, Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Vanessa Redgrave, Mia Farrow, Liam Neeson, Harry Belafonte, Emir Kusturica, Lord Ricard Attenborough, Imanol Arias, Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Lange and Jackie Chan, among many others.

However, although this recognition of goodwill and dedication has also been granted to an Italian fire fighter, a Mongolian sumo wrestling champion, a Korean cartoon, an American cook, a Belgian explorer, an Australian surfing champion and a Brazilian photo reporter (curious facts indeed), it has been granted to only a few groups: the comedian dual Roy and HG, football club Manchester United from the United Kingdom, the Spanish puppeteers «Los Lunnis» and the extraordinary Children and Youth Orchestras National System of Venezuela.

«Thats why we are about to explode with joy, and we want everyone to know it, not out of vanity, but because it is another victory for Cuba and the Revolution. This will be another opportunity to continue spreading hugs of honey all over the world,» says a happy Cremata.

Theater Company La Colmenita was founded as a spin-off of theatre group «La Colmena.» Unlike its predecessor, it was made up of children and directed to youngsters. Their success was huge from the very beginning; up to the point of eclipsing La Colmena. The childrens shows are known for combining classical young peoples stories with Cuban culture and for seeing performance as part of a game. They have staged their shows in the most important theatres of Cuba and in remote areas.

They have also taken their shows on the road to several countries, including the United States, Mexico and Denmark, where their work has received many international and national awards.

Source: By José Luis Estrada Betancourt, Juventud Rebelde