From Fritz Weiss, Portland Friends Meeting and Co-Clerk of Falmouth Quarter

Portland and Durham have been invited to send at least three individuals as a part of a larger delegation to Cuba in April 2027 to celebrate the centenary of CYM’s founding.

Background:  New England Yearly Meeting (NEYM) and Cuba Yearly Meeting (CYM) have been in a sister meeting relationship since 1991 (Puente de Amor) or just Puente.   Within this relationship, Monthly meetings in New England and Monthly Meetings in Cuba have formed sister meeting relationships.  Portland and Durham are sister meetings with Velasco Meeting in Cuba.

We sent a delegation to Velasco in 2023 and 2025.  Our intention was to send a delegation very other year.  The current situation had made it appear unlikely that travel in 2027 would be possible.  However, this week Cuba has asked us to form a delegation and we have begun planning to do so.

Arrangements: We will travel with religious visas issued by the Cuban government as representative of NEYM to CYM.  CYM will host us.  This is not an opportunity to be a tourist.  We are enfolded into the Quaker life in Cuba.

The travelers will spend three days in Velasco, and then attend the Centenary Celebration of Cuba Yearly Meeting at a central gathering location.  The trip will last for 7 – 8 days, probably on the last week in April.

Clearness: Travelers are required to go through a local clearness process and be approved by their monthly meeting and quarterly meeting, and then to go through a Yearly meeting clearness process and be appointed as a representative of NEYM.  Generally, the monthly meeting approves a travel minute for them to carry.  CYM will then acquire the visas.  Because of the length of time for each step, we should begin the clearness process now.

If you are interested in joining this delegation or have questions, please connect with Fritz Weiss (rossvall.weiss@gmail.com) (802-299-7660)