A Day to Celebrate the Essence of the Cuban Nation

HAVANA — Music, cinema, dance, theater, and literature converge across the entire country today to celebrate Cuban Culture Day, a date commemorating the first singing of the Bayamo anthem on October 20, 1868.

Cultural institutions, educational centers, libraries, museums, and galleries are carrying out an extensive program of activities, including concerts, exhibitions, book launches, theatrical performances, dance showcases, and gatherings with artists and intellectuals.

Cuban Culture Day traces its roots to one of the most momentous events in national history.

On October 20, 1868, following the liberation of Bayamo by independence forces, citizens sang the lyrics of the National Anthem for the first time—written by Pedro "Perucho" Figueredo—an event that symbolized the emergence of a distinct patriotic and cultural identity.

Historians emphasize that following the capture of the city by independence forces led by Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, the people of Bayamo staged an episode that transcended the military victory itself.

Amid popular enthusiasm, Perucho penned the lyrics to La Bayamesa, a composition that would later become the National Anthem.

That event symbolized the affirmation of a unique identity. The Cubans who participated in that struggle were not only fighting for political independence, but also for the right to build a homeland with its own distinct symbols, values, and culture.

For these reasons, numerous historians consider that a national consciousness was born in Bayamo—one that no longer recognized itself as exclusively Spanish or African, but essentially Cuban.