According to the materials consulted, the celebration of the Cuban Engineer’s Day has been held every January 11th since 1946. This celebration arose from the initiative of engineer Luis Silva Savio, who proposed it to the Board of Directors of the Cuban Society of Engineers to honor the memory of the distinguished Engineer Don Francisco de Albear y Fernández de Lara, mastermind of innumerable construction works, among them the Aqueduct of Havana; January 11th, 1946 marked the 130th anniversary of Albear’s birth.
However, regardless of the historical origin of the celebration and its connotation, every January 11th is a timely moment to recognize the significant contribution of engineers to the development of our society. In the specific case of the Office of the Historian, the work of these professionals is essential, not only that of those directly linked to restoration or the different construction works carried out in the Historic Center and other parts of the city, but also the tasks of those in charge of urban planning or computerization; just to give examples.
Key areas in organizational dynamics count on the wisdom of engineers, and the contribution of their solutions and inventiveness. In areas such as Planning, Master Plan and Investments or working groups such as Computer Science, the work of these professionals is vital; concurrence that not only affects the optimal functioning of the entity, but also the achievement of the institutional mission; marked by the safeguarding of heritage and the enhancement of local identity.
We could not overlook such a significant event for our institution, the country and the world; because many of the advances and benefits that we can enjoy today are the direct result of the work of an engineer. Likewise, many of the restored, refunctionalized or rehabilitated spaces in the city bear the imprint of our engineers, all of which we can enjoy today and pass on to future generations.
Let our gratitude and congratulations reach each one of them and also the desire for their ever-growing contributions.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
