The ceremony to award the scholarships to 9 Grenadian students took place at the Cuban Embassy in Grenada.
The ceremony was attended by Elvis Morain, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education; Kizelle Gilbert, head of the Scholarship Department; Cuban Ambassador Ivette Martínez Leyva; Dr Malachy Dottin, president of the Committee of Cuban Graduate Students; and other guests.
The Cuban diplomat congratulated the scholarship recipients and told them about the experiences they will have in Cuba during their exchange with Cuban professionals and the people. They will learn about the limitations of a blockaded country, but they will learn from the creative resilience of a people who overcome any obstacle, she said. She urged them to put all their efforts into becoming good doctors, specialists, and engineers and, upon their return, contribute to the development of Grenada. She concluded by expressing to them that they will be educated with a comprehensive, humanistic, and supportive approach, which are the essence of the Cuban Revolution.
Student Devonte Matthew Pierre, who will study electrical engineering, read the Code of Ethics that foreign students must adhere to at educational centres in Cuba, which all the scholarship recipients signed.
Dr Dottin praised and encouraged the scholarship recipients, telling them that the sacrifice they make today by leaving their families and studying in another language would be their greatest asset tomorrow. He affirmed that the government has great confidence in them and looks forward to their return for their contributions to improving the quality of healthcare services and infrastructure in Grenada.
For his part, Permanent Secretary Morain congratulated the scholarship recipients and told them they had an opportunity in their hands that they should honour with the commitment to become valuable professionals. He advised them to learn to see the void as half full rather than half empty and to take advantage of everything they will learn during their stay in Cuba.
Before the national emblems of Cuba and Grenada, the scholarships were presented to the students, including one for a Bachelor’s degree in Imaging, 3 for undergraduate studies in Medicine, 3 for Electrical and Civil Engineering, and 2 for postgraduate studies in Medicine in the specialities of Internal Medicine and Ophthalmology.
The ceremony, a result of bilateral cooperation between Cuba and Grenada, concluded with a family photo, wishing them success and a safe trip.
Embassy of Cuba in Grenada
