Havana celebrates 500 years!

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20th November 2019

Havana is Cuba's capital city and is 500 years old. It has had a big festival to celebrate!

The government has fixed old buildings. There are new displays of art. Special visitors met President Miguel Diaz-Canel on 16th November. Havana started on this day in 1519. There were lots of fireworks at the castle.

People watched them in the streets.

Lots of people went to the city's tree, La Ceiba. The tree is important in the local religion. They asked the tree for health, money and a good life. They touched it for good luck. A local engineer asked the La Ceiba tree to help everyone in the city. "I was very excited," she said.

The festival is celebrating Havana's past and future. Life in Havana is difficult at the moment. Cuba can't do business with the USA.

Spain controlled Havana for four hundred years. After that, the US controlled Cuba's government. 60 years ago, Cuba changed. It became a socialist country. The USA doesn't like this.

King Felipe of Spain visited Havana to celebrate. He's the first Spanish king to visit. President Diaz-Canel said Havana is "a city of science, dance, cinema, literature, [and] sporting events."