PRESS RELEASE: Nobel campaign for Cuban doctors closes with 42 official nominations from Britain
Campaign News | Thursday, 25 February 2021
More than 8,000 names and messages, including from parliamentarians and academics, were submitted to the Nobel Prize Committee at the end of January calling for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to the Cuban doctors, nurses and technicians who make up the Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade (HRIMB).
In advance of the Nobel Prize Committee’s deadline on 1 February 2021, the Cuba Solidarity Campaign ran a four month campaign to collect names, messages and official nominations on behalf of the HRIMB in recognition of its humanitarian work during the COVID-19 pandemic and since its formation in 2005.
CSC worked with 28 members of the British and Scottish parliaments, and 14 academics to make official nominations to the Nobel Prize Committee.
In addition to the formal nominations over 8,000 people from 120 countries signed CSC’s open letter in support of the call for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to the Cuban medics. Many MPs, trade union leaders and personalities recorded video messages of support including Jeremy Corbyn MP, Len McCluskey general secretary of Unite the Union, and actress Maxine Peake.
The open letter recognised the more than 4,000 Cuban health workers who had supported medics in 40 countries in their fight against COVID-19, as well as the Brigade’s work since 2005 treating almost four million people in 45 countries.
Ana María Mari Machado, Vice president of Cuba’s National Assembly, sent a letter of thanks to the parliamentarians who had made nominations in which she said:
“Today, more than ever before, it is necessary to maintain solidarity and cooperation among all countries to face this harsh pandemic with human and material resources,” and passed on the “sincere gratitude for the recognition made to the Henry Reeve International Brigade” on “behalf of the President of the National Assembly, its Members of Parliament, and our people”.
