Canning House at the Centre for Research on Cuba

Canning House visited the University of Nottingham and its Centre for Research on Cuba, accompanied by the Cuban Ambassador to the UK, Her Excellency Mrs. Ismara Vargas.

During the visit, a distinguished group of academics and postgraduate students, together with the Ambassador and our Head of Policy, toured the remarkable Hennessy Collection, housed in the university’s historic Trent Building. This unique archive contains an extensive collection of Cuban periodicals spanning the 1960s to the 1990s and stands as an important resource for scholars of Cuba and the wider region. As some of this material is no longer readily accessible in Cuba, the collection is particularly valuable for those seeking to understand the political landscape of the 1960s and the debates and ideas that shaped the era. We are grateful to Professors Tony Kapcia and Dr Par Kumaraswami for their generous hospitality and for guiding us through this exceptional collection.

Following a private lunch with academic staff, Jeremy Browne and the Ambassador held a constructive discussion on relations between the UK, Latin America and Cuba, and the wider implications of the current situation on the island, brilliantly moderated by Professor Par. 

The visit provided an opportunity to highlight Canning House’s mission to raise the profile of Latin America in the UK, while also hearing directly from the Ambassador about UK–Cuba relations and the current situation in Cuba. Canning House extends its thanks to the Centre for Research on Cuba for the enriching discussion.