FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     JULY 18, 2006

FOR MORE INFORMATION:                                    CAMILA R. GALLARDO                                                                                                                                                         305-592-7768/ 305-215-4259

CANF CELEBRATES 25 YEARS, THE LEGACY OF JORGE MAS CANOSA AND THE INSITUTION HE CREATED AT

GALA EVENT & YEARLY CONGRESS

The Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) will celebrate 25 years of history the weekend of July 21^st during its yearly Congress, a meeting of the Board of Directors where policy and strategy for the following year are developed.  This year the weekend-long event is kicked off with the “25^th Anniversary Gala” a tribute to Jorge Mas Canosa and a celebration of his legacy and that of the institution which unified the exile community and created a powerful lobbying force in Washington.

The Gala event, to be held at the Biltmore Hotel, Friday, July 21^st, 8:00pm, will feature special guest the Honorable Robert Torricelli, former Senator for the State of New Jersey and author of the Cuban Democracy Act, a landmark piece of legislation that created the framework for current U.S. policy towards Cuba.  In attendance will be many key figures in Cuba policy and community leaders who have contributed to the success and the work of the Cuban American National Foundation. 

The weekend-long event will feature presentations by Cuba policy-makers and experts including Senator Mel Martinez, Emilio T. Gonzalez, Director of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), and Governor Bill Richardson. 

The attached agenda indicates only events open to the press.  For further information, please contact our offices: 305-592-7768.

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XXV Congreso of the Cuban American National Foundation

Events open to press

Friday, July 21, 2006

3:00pm-6:00pm            Closed Session

(guests include Senator Mel Martinez and Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez (tentative)

8:00pm “CANF 25^th Anniversary Gala”

Saturday, July 22, 2006

10:45am           International Political Personalities-Alhambra Room

                        Jose Rizo, Presidential Candidate, Nicaragua

                        Manuel Minjares, Federal Representative, PAN, Mexico

11:30am-12:15pm        Closed Session

12:15pm           Lunch-Granada Room

1:30pm Break

1:45pm Guest speaker: Governor Bill Richardson, New Mexico

2:00pm Panel Discussion-Succession vs. Transition- Alhambra Room

                        Dr. Brian Latell

                        Dr. Eugenio Yañez

                        General Rafael Del Pino

3:15pm             Immigration: a discussion with Col. Emilio T. Gonzalez, Director of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), Homeland Security (via telephone)

3:45pm Break

4:00pm Internal Opposition

Phone conference with dissidents: Laura Pollan, Valdimiro Roca, Oswaldo Paya Sardiñas, Marta Beatriz Roque

5:00pm Closed session begins

Sunday, July 23^rd          Closed Sessions