-DATE-
19770718
-YEAR-
1977
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
APPEARANCE
-AUTHOR-
F.CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO AWARDED INTERNATIONAL UNION OF STUDENTS
-PLACE-
CUBA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA DOMESTIC SERVICE
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19770722
-TEXT-
FIDEL AWARDED INTERNATIONAL UNION OF STUDENTS MEDAL

FL182145Y Havana Domestic Service in Spanish 2032 GMT 18 Jul 77 FL

[Text] Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, PCC Central Committee First
Secretary and President of the Council of State, has received the 17
November Medal, the highest award given by the International Union of
Students (UIS).  The medal was presented to Fidel by (Dusan Urka),
president of the IUS, during a ceremony held at the 26 July international
pioneers camp shortly after the main ceremony commemorating Children's Day
ended.  (Urka) said that the medal was awarded to our commander in chief in
recognition of his outstanding contribution to the revolutionary struggle
of the Cuban people.

The UIS in awarding this medal also took into account the outstanding role
played by Fidel as leader of the economic changes and the construction of a
socialist society only 90 miles from the principal enemy of peoples, (Dusan
Urka) stressed.

The 17 November Medal was presented to our Commander in Chief Fidel Castro
for his contribution to revolutionary theory and practice and for the
establishment and consolidation of the first workers-peasants state in
America, (Dusan Urka) said.  The UIS president added that the award was
also given in recognition of Fidel's personal contribution in making the
Cuban revolution an encouraging example for the peoples of Asia, Africa and
Latin America.  (Urka) added that the commander in chief also deserves the
medal because of his devotion to the cause of international
anti-imperialist solidarity.  The 17 November Medal is also being awarded
to Fidel because of his outstanding qualities as a consistent and untiring
struggler against imperialism and for the solidarity and unity of the
revolutionary, progressive and democratic forces of the world, the UIS
president stressed.

After receiving the 17 November Medal from the UIS, Fidel recalled that
since the time he was a university student he has been interested in [words
indistinct] activities.  He said:  At that time I could not have imagined
that precisely a day similar to that one close to the commemoration of 26
July on the occasion of inaugurating a pioneers camp, I would have the
immense honor of receiving such an award.  He added:  Of course, it is for
me a true privilege which I cannot attribute in any way to personal merits.
I attribute it to the leadership and of solidarity of the UIS.  Finally,
the commander in chief, on behalf of the Cuban party, government youths,
students and workers and in his own name, expressed the gratitude felt on
receiving the 17 November Medal.
-END-