The budding relationship between a west central Illinois community college and a country just south of the United States was on display this week.
Carl Sandburg College students heard a presentation from Mario Masvidal in the college’s Student Center on Wednesday. Masvidal is a professor at the University of the Arts in Havana, Cuba.
His visit was made possible by CSC’s President Lori Sundberg visiting the country earlier this year. Masvidal is also visiting Lincoln Land and Blackhawk Colleges during his stay.
The nearly-hour long presentation from Masvidal included discussions of Cuban history and culture, as well as a 13-minute animated video from his school titled “20 Anos.”
Masvidal said he would like to see students and faculty from the college become more involved in the developing partnership.
“If the students can go there, and have a week or two week program of classes, workshops, whatever they are interested. If we have our professors, facility, or students here taking a course or workshop,” Masvidal said.
Masdival added that relationships, like the one Sandburg is building with universities in Cuba, can be a step to help rebuild relationships between the United States and Cuba.
“These kind of encounters and meetings would make it easier for us, for both countries to re-establish, to reconnect,” Masdival said.
