What you should know about the Brigade

Started in 1993, the Ernesto Che Guevara Work Brigade promotes friendship and solidarity between Canada and Cuba. The Brigade provides Canadians with a unique opportunity to learn more about Cuba, experience Cuban culture, and to make a difference volunteering to build the revolution.

Brigadistas come from all walks of life and volunteer for many different reasons. Brigadistas spend three weeks in Cuba working, but also spending time with Cubans and with like-minded people from all over Canada, visiting Havana and other provinces, attending cultural, educational and social events, as well as getting to know Cuba's beautiful beaches!

Why you should you get involved

Visit Cuba and learn more about the country's culture and history. Cuba has a rich cultural history going back centuries. Old Havana has been designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations. Cuba has a broad cultural history and social fabric that includes baseball, jazz music, organic agriculture, art deco architecture, the world's finest cigars and some of the world's friendliest people! Participating in the brigade is an opportunity to experience one of the world's most vibrant and dynamic cultures.

Learn more about Cuba's approach to governance, democracy and communities. Cuba's democracy reflects a unique commitment to civil society, including trade unions, women's groups and others. Nowhere in the world is 'community' more actively embodied in the political system. The Brigade provides an opportunity to witness this social dynamism up close as it is reflected in the the daily lives of the Cuban people!

Witness Cuba's unique combination of environmental commitment with sustainable economic development. Since the Special Period, Cuba has refocused its commitment to a careful marriage of economic development that serves the interests of the Cuban people while caring for the local ecosystem. Nowhere in the world is organic farming more developed than it is in Cuba. See birds, flowers, and other flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world!

Help build the revolution! Cuba is one the few countries in the world where real, practical democracy flourishes. The brigade provides participants with an opportunity to participate in the on-going Cuban revolution as volunteers. You can help build a stronger Cuba by helping Cubans with your volunteer work. Whether you're building schools or planting food crops, the Brigade provides you with an opportunity to participate in revolutionary history!

Take Action

Learn more about the Brigade or sign-up today at the Canadian Network on Cuba's Brigade Web site.