Cross-cultural synergy is the fiber of enrichment, the motive force for development of all human civilizations. The Cuban people are part of our shared hemisphere and world. In today’s global realities it is counter-productive to exclude U.S. and Cuban citizens from the mutual benefits inherent in traditional people-to-people sister city programs solely to support ideological and political bias.

Cuba is the only country in the world where the U.S. government forbids its own citizens the fundamental human right of individual travel except under criteria established by the U.S. It is time for U.S. residents to have restored their freedom of travel, and to put 60 years of cold war ‘regime change’ policies to bed. Our work, having people meet people around common interests helps dispel stereotypes and misconceptions. It allows people to form opinions that are experience based. An informed citizenry is beneficial to all democratic aspirations.