The National Summit on Cuba was sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation, USA Engage, the World Policy Institue and Americans for Humanitarian Trade with Cuba in coordination with more than a dozen groups from all over the United States including the Center for International Policy's Cuba Project. CIP participated in the September 18th lobby day on Capitol Hill and CIP's Anya Landau chaired the panel, "Our National Interest, Our National Security"at the September 17th Summit Conference.

On September 17, 2002, hundreds of Cuban Americans converged on Washington for the Cuban American lobby day demanding freedom of travel to Cuba. Cuban Americans met with Senators and Representatives and participated in seminars all leading up to the unveiling of the "Yo sí voy" campaign. The campaign was launched by younger generation Cuban-Americans in cooperation with other Cuban-American advocacy groups.

Summit Brochure

September 17-18 2002

THE NATIONAL SUMMIT ON CUBA will demonstrate, for the first time, the remarkable breadth of support that exists throughout the United States for creating a more sensible policy toward Cuba.The Summit will come at a critical time in the embargo debate, as U.S. elected officials will vote to lift restrictions on Americans’ freedom to travel to Cuba, to make food and medical sales to the island more practical, to dismantle aspects of the highly problematic Helms-Burton legislation and other Cuba-related issues as part of the overall Autumn Appropriations debate. At the National Summit on Cuba, the audience will be an important part of the event. As in a convention, the Summit will showcase delegations from each state comprised of reputable corporate, government, religious, medical, labor, port, agricultural, Cuban American and other community leaders. The audience will carry important local perspectives that will educate members of the Administration and Congress on how different policy approaches might better serve our national interest at large.

Summit Agenda

8:00 am - Convene at National Press Club, Washington DC (529 14 St. NW) registration and coffee 8:30 am - Greetings: Summit Co-Chairs Sam Gibbons, former 34-year U.S. Representative from Tampa and Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, from Texas. 9:00 am - U.S. Representative Jeff Flake (R-AZ), member of the House Cuba Working Group. 9:15 am - The Flag Follows Trade: David Frey, Kansas Wheat Commission, Gary La Grange, Director, Port of New Orleans, President of the Gulf Coast Ports Association of the Americas and Kirby Jones, Cuba business consultant, Alamar Associate, on the impact of recent food sales to Cuba on heartland farmers, communities. William C. Lane, Caterpillar and Mark Entwistle, former Canadian Ambassador to Cuba on international implications of Helms Burton and the embargo and current investment practices in Cuba. Bill Reinsch, Chairman, USA Engage Coalition, former U.S. Commerce Dept. official, moderates. 10:00 am - Democratic and Economic Impetus for Free Travel. Ian Vasquez, Cato Institute. Burton Rubin, American Society of Travel Agents. Daniel Aruca, Marazul Travel, New Jersey. Dorothy Robyn PhD, Brattle Group, on domestic economic impact of lifting travel restrictions to Cuba. U.S. Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA) moderates.

CIP senior fellow Wayne Smith and Eloy Guitierrez Menoyo, former political prisoner in Cuba and head of the Miami-based advocacy group "Cambio Cubano"

10:30 am - Our National Interest, Our National Security: (Ret) General Charles Wilhelm, former Chief Commander U.S. Southern Command. Larry Johnson, Berg Associates, former Clinton State Dept. terrorism expert. Phil Peters, Lexington Institute. Anya Landau, Center for International Policy, moderates.

11:15 am - Changed Political Equation: Cuban Americans Seek New Approach. Former Bay of Pigs veteran Alfredo Duran, President, Cuban Committee for Democracy. University of Miami Sociologist Max Castro on new support for change. Silvia Wilhelm Puentes Cubanos, moderates.

11:45 - am Embargo’s Impact on Human Rights, Medicine and Culture Here and In Cuba: Jose Miguel Vivanco, Human Rights Watch, joined by prominent Cuban dissident Elizardo Sanchez. Whitney Addington, MD, American College of Physicians. Mike Smith, Conservation International. Meryl Marshall Daniels, immediate past Chairman and CEO, Academy of Television Arts and Science.

12:15 am - Lunchtime Speaker U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) introduced by H.P. Goldfield, Co-chair, Stonebridge International, Former Assistant Secretary of Commerce.

12:30 am - Lunch Service Begins: Video Presentation (10 minutes) Voices on Cuba (featuring Paul Volcker and others clips of ordinary Cuban people) Introduced by former U.S. Rep. Bob Edgar, who heads the National Council of Churches and Cuban guest Reinero Arce, President, Cuban Council of Churches

1:00 am - The Bush Administration’s Point of View: Dan Fisk, U.S. Department of State. Introduced by Rep. JoAnn Emerson (R-MO), who will moderate audience Q & A.

1:30 am - Changed Political Equation, Local Leaders Speak Out. Susan Parker, Alabama State Auditor and candidate for U.S. Senate. Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin. Delia Perez, Illinois State Office of Intl. Trade Development. Barry Clark, Oklahoma State Dept. of Commerce. TX State Rep Bob Hunter*, to discuss 2001 Texas State Resolution. CA State Senator Kevin Murray discusses 2002 resolution. Commissioner Joe McLash, Manatee County, FL.

2:15 am - Policy Prescriptions for Change: Audience discussion on current avenues for change. U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt (R-WA). Janice O’Connell, Professional Staff Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Richard H. Stanley, the Stanley Foundation and HON Industries, Iowa. Julia Sweig, Council on Foreign Relations moderates discussion with audience.

3:00 am - Closing Remarks: Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT)
*indicates unconfirmed.

Other Events

Summit Day, Tuesday, September 17:

Public Opinion Polling on American attitudes toward the embargo released

A full-page ad in a major U.S. daily newspaper quantifying American support for free travel and humanitarian trade as a matter of U.S. national interest, coordinated by Americans For Humanitarian Trade With Cuba

Reception Summit Night for Summit Attendees and Speakers

Next Day, Wednesday, September 18:

Leading pro-engagement Cuban American groups host a Lobby Day and a Capitol Hill Panel on the changed dynamics of this important community with delegations from Miami, New Jersey and other states blanketing the Capitol

Bipartisan Congressional Breakfast hosted by the American Farm Bureau with U.S. Senators and members of the House Cuba Working Group