One of the most emblematic traditions associated with the anniversary of José Martí is the March of the Torches. Occurred for the first time in 1953, it was the initiative of young people who, in a context of tyranny, grouped together so as not to hand over the centenary of the Apostle to oblivion or demagoguery.
The March of the Torches did not remain in 1953. It is, every year that it takes place, one of the most patriotic moments experienced by the youth of Cuba. It takes place in different parts of the country and its most symbolic starting point continues to be the steps of the University of Havana.
Starting in the afternoon, on January 27, young people from all over Havana tend to arrive at this historic venue. High school students, higher education centers in the capital, military universities, young workers and people from the neighborhoods converge nearby. As night falls, the interior of University Hill is packed. Some already carry the torch. Others try to obtain it from those that are deposited there to help those who do not carry it.
The time remaining to start the march is dissipated between many greetings, patriotic songs and oiling the torch for its combustion. Moments before the start, current leaders and historical personalities take the lead. The congregation is dressed in uniform and the stairway vibrates with the singing of the Hymn of Bayamo.
The flames begin to spread from torch to torch until a reddish layer breaks the darkness of the night.
Year after year, there are several thousand participants in the March of the Torches, a march that renews, from the symbolic and the emotional, the passions for a better Cuba. This is the march to connect with the Apostle and with the Centennial Generation; to evoke the most virtuous of our history; to reflect on what we pursue as a nation; to enlighten Martí…
