BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam//NONSGML v1.0//EN NAME:Cuban Ecology in times of Crisis and Blockade METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260608T190000 DTEND:20260609T210000 DTSTAMP:20260608T190000 UID:cuban-ecology-in-times-of-cris@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573 CREATED:20260925T161226 LOCATION:NU-Building, 1111, NU-2C33 Theatre 3, De Boelelaan, 1081 HV, Amsterdam SUMMARY:Cuban Ecology in times of Crisis and Blockade X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Cuba is under attack . Since the 60s the Caribbean island has been under economic blockade of the US, has survived many efforts to topple the government and at tacks on the island, its inhabitants and its leaders.

Desp ite the history and conditions of the island, its people and leadersh ip stand firm in their belief of collective action, equality and popu lar mobilisation to combat climate change. Currently, Cuba is one of the few Caribbean countries succeeding in achieving renewable energy, hurricane prevention, forest planting and combatting rising sea leve ls. Now, under the Trump administration and the consequent oil embarg o, Cuba is fighting for life. In this event, we want to explore why C uba is successfully implementing a 100-year plan through the “Tarea Vida” (life task) program, despite being under constant attack. Fi rst we will have a presentation by Julie Steendam on her book “100 years to stop the Sea” which she co-authored with Isabelle Vanbraba nt, after which we will present an expert panel on Cuba, ecology and political economy. The Cuba Solidarity Network will also be present t o tell more about solidarity initiatives in the Netherlands.

~~Expert panel:~~

Julie Steendam (1992) studied Moral Sciences and Conflict and Development. She< br>coordinated Belgian and European campaigns for the right to health and worked for the
Belgian umbrella organization of environmental movements. In 2022, she co-authored the
book 100 Years to Stop th e Sea with Isabelle Vanbrabant, which explores Cuba’s approach
t o climate change. Steendam currently works in the Belgian Federal Par liament and serves
as a city council member for the PVDA party in Ghent.

Mathieu Blondeel is an Assistant Pr ofessor in the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM)
of VU Ams terdam. His work is situated at the intersection of global energy and climate
politics. His research primarily focuses on the geopoliti cs.

Siewert Olthof is a m ember of the international bureau of the NCPN, the New Communist part y of
the Netherlands. Cuba solidarity is a big part of the interna tional work of the party and plays
a big rol in the organization o f solidarity in the Netherlands.

Levin Dalpia z is a MSc student in International Development Studies at W ageningen
University, working on the affective dimensions of urban agroecology in Havana for his
thesis. A geographer by training wi th recent fieldwork in Cuba and a network with Cuban
institutions, he studies Cuba as a critical case against industrialized agricultur e.

DESCRIPTION: Cuba is under attack. Since the 60s the Caribbean island has been under economic blockade of the US, has survived many efforts to topple the government and attacks on the island, its inhabitants and its leaders. Despite the history and conditions of the island, it s people and leadership stand firm in their belief of collective acti on, equality and popular mobilisation to combat climate change. Curre ntly, Cuba is one of the few Caribbean countries succeeding in achiev ing renewable energy, hurricane prevention, forest planting and comba tting rising sea levels. Now, under the Trump administration and the consequent oil embargo, Cuba is fighting for life. In this event, we want to explore why Cuba is successfully implementing a 100-year plan through the “Tarea Vida” (life task) program, despite being unde r constant attack. First we will have a presentation by Julie Steenda m on her book “100 years to stop the Sea” which she co-authored w ith Isabelle Vanbrabant, after which we will present an expert panel on Cuba, ecology and political economy. The Cuba Solidarity Network w ill also be present to tell more about solidarity initiatives in the Netherlands.Expert panel:

Julie Ste endam (1992) studied Moral Sciences and Conflict and Develop ment. She
coordinated Belgian and European campaigns for the right to health and worked for the
Belgian umbrella organization of env ironmental movements. In 2022, she co-authored the
book 100 Years to Stop the Sea with Isabelle Vanbrabant, which explores Cuba’s app roach
to climate change. Steendam currently works in the Belgian F ederal Parliament and serves
as a city council member for the PVDA party in Ghent.

Mathieu Blondeel is an As sistant Professor in the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM)
of VU Amsterdam. His work is situated at the intersection of global energy and climate
politics. His research primarily focuses on the geopolitics.

Siewert Olthof is a member of the international bureau of the NCPN, the New Comm unist party of
the Netherlands. Cuba solidarity is a big part of t he international work of the party and plays
a big rol in the orga nization of solidarity in the Netherlands.

Le vin Dalpiaz is a MSc student in International Development St udies at Wageningen
University, working on the affective dimension s of urban agroecology in Havana for his
thesis. A geographer by t raining with recent fieldwork in Cuba and a network with Cuban
ins titutions, he studies Cuba as a critical case against industrialized agriculture.
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