Once again this year, the Covarrubias Hall of the National Theater in Havana was decked out for the 10th edition of the Excelencias Cuba 2022 Awards ceremony, held as part of the Excelencias Group's 25th anniversary activities. People, projects and institutions that have stood out for their work and contribution in various fields were recognized.
During the opening speech, Jose Carlos de Santiago, president and general editor of the Excelencias Group, assured that after 25 years of foundation, we are creating new teams and possibilities in Cuba, where 30 years of life "have given me that feeling of saying that I'm Spanish, but my feelings are also in this town".
He stressed that there is "a great team behind Excelencias", which was created exclusively for Ibero-America, for those who share a common language and also for all English- and French-speakers, as part of the great Caribbean.
He praised the richness of Cuban culture, and wished that it maintains its ideals, its charisma, its education, and that in its evolution it becomes the key to the Gulf.
José Carlos de Santiago thanked the national and foreign authorities, as well as the personalities and artists who honored this awards gala with their presence.
Nominations could be submitted until April 5 for these awards, which aim to promote excellence in tourism, gastronomy, art, motoring and research, and have become a benchmark in the largest of the Antilles.
Once the projects were received, they were submitted to popular vote through a questionnaire in Excelencias News Cuba; they were also evaluated by an impartial jury made up of 11 members, all of them professionals in the fields of culture, arts, tourism and gastronomy.
On this occasion, 22 awards were handed out in nine categories: Excellence in Tourism Awards, Excellence in Gourmet Awards, Excellence in Motoring Awards, Excellence in Art Awards, Excellence in Science and Research Awards, Mallhabana Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards, Excellence in News Cuba Awards, Excellence in Caribeinsider Awards and Excellence in CND Listening Awards.
After the opening performance by the National Symphony Orchestra String Ensemble, the gala featured performances by soloist Annie Garcés, singer-songwriter Adrián Berazaín, "La Voz Romántica de Cuba", Waldo Mendoza; the popular Buena Fe Duo, closing the musical moments with the EntreVoces Choir under the direction of Maestro Digna Guerra.
EXCELENCIAS CUBA 2022 AWARDS
EXCELENCIAS NEWS CUBA AWARD
Category: SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
-Winner: National Center for Minimal Access Surgery. For its track record of comprehensive innovation
-Finalist: Transfermóvil (ETECSA). It received a special mention for having been the candidacy with the most popular votes.
Received: Julio Antonio Garcia Trápaga, leader and creator of the Transfermóvil project and director of support and development of digital products of ETECSA.
-Finalist: CENPALAB (BIOCUBAFARMA)
CARIBEINSIDER AWARD
Category: SUSTAINABILITY
-Winner: SUCHEL PROQUIMIA. For its commitment to environmental protection and sustainability of hygiene and cleaning products.
-Finalist: National Botanical Garden (University of Havana).
EXCELENCIAS TURÍSTICAS AWARD
Category: TOURISM
-Winner: IBEROSTAR CUBA. For the Ambassadors of Excellence hotel in Trinidad: benchmark of excellence in customer service for tourism in Cuba and the rest of the Iberostar hotels in the world.
-Finalist: Cayo Largo del Sur Sea Turtle Rescue Center, (Marina Marlin - Ministry of Tourism of Cuba)
ARTE POR EXCELENCIAS AWARD
Category: ART
-Winner: Buena Fe. For its community work through its musical trajectory and concerts reaching all neighborhoods, with dissemination campaigns in favor of musical culture to the entire population.
-Finalist: Digna Guerra and the National Choir of Cuba. She received a special mention because the difference of votes with the winner was minimal.
-Finalist: Project "Between Threads, Wings and Brushes" (Trinidad Conservator's Office)
EXCELENCIAS AWARD CNDESCUCHA
Category: SOCIAL INTEGRATION
Winner: ¡SÚMATE! Campaign for a life without violence. For its commitment as a non-profit social organization that fights against violence, protects, educates and supports women and girls.
Finalist: Arlequín Artistic Ensemble (Office of the Historian of the City of Camagüey)
Finalist: Enjoy Travel Group
EXCELENCIAS DEL MOTOR AWARD
Category: MOBILITY
Winner: TAXIS-CUBA. For greener management, its commitment to sustainable mobility, environmental responsibility and the line of electric tricycles.
Finalist: Taxi Rutero 1 Cooperative
Finalist: Classic Car Club
EXCELENCIAS GOURMET AWARD
Category: GASTRONOMIC RESEARCH
-Winner: Agroforestal - Ministry of Agriculture of Cuba. Organic coffee certification project in eastern Cuba. For certifications in 2022 to 170 producers covering 1,400 hectares of coffee in nine municipalities in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Granma.
-Finalist: Marca Gastronómica Nativa (Gaviota)
-Finalist: Madelaine Vázquez Gálvez and Leydi Casimiro Rodriguez, Ph.
MALLHABANA AWARD
Category: ENTREPRENEURS
-Winner: La Chocolatera. For being a project where the main figure is the chocolate and its hallmark is the fine handmade high-end chocolates.
-Finalist: Alianza de Clubes
Picked up:
-Finalist: SPA Terafis
Three International Excellence Awards were also symbolically presented at FITUR 2023: Caribbean News Digital Award to Archipelago International (Aston Hotels) "for the hotel chain's investment and expansion in the Caribbean region" which was collected on this occasion by Roberto Vallejo, and to the Cuban entities Havana Club, Tourism Excellence Award Category GREEN, for "Actions to reduce its carbon footprint" and the Maestros Roneros de Cuba, for maintaining the history and tradition of light rum, received, respectively, by Rosa Linda Gómez Cermeño, sales promoter manager, and rum master Salomé Alemán Carriazo, along with other colleagues.
Three distinguished spaces were dedicated to the Special Awards to Waldo Mendoza, for his 20 years on stage; to Lázaro Expósito Cantos, for his humanism and life's work; and to Rafael Sed Pérez, for his trajectory dedicated to the development of Cuban tourism.
ABOUT THE EXCELENCIAS AWARDS
The Excelencias Awards were created in 2005 by the Excelencias Group with the goal of fostering excellence in Ibero-America and the Caribbean in all areas of society related to tourism, gastronomy and culture. Since then they have become a benchmark for all those who are involved in these important sectors and develop their activity always with the goal of achieving excellence.
In 2012, the Excelencias Cuba Awards were born to honor all those who have developed social impact activities in the country, including new categories such as Art and Motor.
The Excelencias Group also handed out the Excelencias Awards in Mexico. This year 2023, the Excelencias Group's goal is to continue supporting Mexico's international outreach, strengthening communication, recognizing projects in several categories, focusing on this occasion on Mexico's Magical Towns. That's why it created the Magicos por Excelencias Awards, which recognized projects from the 132 Magical Towns in the categories of nature, sustainability, gastronomy, ethnology, religion, paleontology, social, cultural and heritage.
Representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Cuba, artists, scientists, authorities of Cuban and foreign entities present in the country, personalities who were awarded the Excelencias Cuba Award in previous editions and several national and international media were present at the awards gala.
More information:
premiosexcelencias@excelencias.com
Previous publication Giangiacomo Rossetti, Through a thin wall
Next publication Art Basel announces further highlights for its 2023 edition
Related Publications
