Cuba’s Díaz-Canel pledges rights and dignity for International Week of the Deaf

Presidential Pledge for Public Dignity

The message, posted to the leader’s official Facebook profile, coincided with worldwide commemorations promoted by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) under the theme “Declaring the Human Rights of Deaf People,” which also marks the organization’s 75th anniversary.

Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Delegation

The statement arrived alongside media highlighting Cuba’s athletic delegation at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics. Government communications featured imagery from the games, including an athlete wearing bib number 068 posing with the Cuban flag on an athletics track, alongside medalists in national team uniforms.

Cuba sent 21 athletes across five disciplines to the international multi-sport competition: track and field, judo, wrestling, table tennis, and cycling.

Medal-Winning Performances in Japan

The delegation secured three medals during the Tokyo event, placing Cuba 30th overall among the 81 participating countries.

Suslaidy Girat delivered the nation’s premier performance, capturing the gold medal in the long jump with a mark of 6.11 meters and adding a silver medal in the triple jump with a leap of 12.60 meters. Judoka Yadira Ramos rounded out the medal count by claiming a bronze in the 63-kilogram weight category.

International Human Rights Scrutiny

The official discourse emphasizing inclusion and civic participation occurs against a backdrop of ongoing scrutiny from international human rights monitors. Global entities regularly document and denounce restrictions placed on civil and political liberties within Cuba, citing actions ranging from the suppression of political dissent to the detention of activists and protestors.

Origins of the Global Observance

The International Week of the Deaf is observed annually during the final week of September, an initiative established by the World Federation of the Deaf.